A Rough Road
by Kiumu-Ro-Ku-Bee
Summary: Couple Requests and Review Replies available upon request. Chapter IV Part II: Escape! has been changed slightly! Reread! Roks sees an interesting thing about Kam when they talk, has an action sequence, and makes a vow. Can he fulfill it?
1. Prologue: Killer Applesauce!

Disclaimer: I no own! Okey dokey, d'ya get it? (Audience nods) YAY! Good little guys! Have a cookie!  
  
Metabee: And what do the medabots get?  
  
Uhh…chips! Heheheh…  
  
Metabee: ? CHIPS? Wait, computer chips? Cool…wait, we can't eat those, either!  
  
Funny, this story is almost all about medabots eating…ha!  
  
Metabee: I'll compromise with ya' on oil!  
  
Ugh, deal. You're a tough negotiator. (Hands Metabee oil can; he sips gingerly through gold straw) predictable…  
  
Prologue: Killer Apple Sauce  
  
I strained my sound receptors to hear Miss Nae and Metabee talking in the front. I was sitting in the back of Miss Nae's van, on the parallel seats facing each other, with Blakbeetle next to me, Rokusho next to her, Ikki across from me, Erika next to him, Brass next to her, Zuru, my medafighter, next to her, my brother--err--partner, Tyrelbeetle, next to him, and Professor Hushi at the end of the seats in the back of the van.  
  
"Metabee, what happened to Kam?" Miss Nae asked.  
  
"I don' know. He ran off after Roks grabbed Blakbeetle. Why?" Metabee returned. Their voices were muffled through the thin glass window between the front and back seats, but I could tell Metabee sounded sad, the same as I felt. "After how badly I beat KiloRoks," at this, all of us in the back seat quieted suddenly, listening intently, as Metabee finished, "I don't think he'll be bothering us for a while!"  
  
"But now that we've got his strongest kilobot, Blakbeetle," Miss Nae began. I could hear the hydraulics as Metabee turned to her, and she finished, shutting all of us in the van up for the rest of the trip, "Kam's bound to be back to get her."  
  
Blakbeetle latched onto my arm frightfully at the thought of Kam returning to get her, and I looked down at her. Her expression screamed exhaustion silently as she hung her head, sinking back into her seat.  
  
The next night, I was awakened around one AM by Blakbeetle. Trying to get my optics focused, I slowly sat up, rubbing my red optics as I did.  
  
"B-Blakbeetle?" I stuttered, staring down into her one exposed yellow eye. "I don't know much about kilobots, but they do sleep, don't they?"  
  
"Yes, I do. But I can't tonight. I can't stop thinking about what would happen if Kam came back for me. I ran into Brass this--well," Blakbeetle glanced at the clock on the bedside table between my, Tyrelbeetle, and Zuru's bed and her bed, on the other side of the bed than the side I slept on, and looked back to me, "yesterday morning, and she told me to talk to you about it. I don't know why she told me you in particular, though."  
  
"Why didn't you talk to me earlier? I was asleep," I returned.  
  
"Sorry, but I couldn't bring myself to ask. Would you talk to me now?" she asked. I stared at her, surprised, and then nodded. I crossed my legs pretzel-style, scooted back to lean on the bed's headboard, and patted the bed in front of me, inviting her up. She pulled herself onto the bed and sat on her knees in front of me.  
  
"Go on," I prompted, staring into her eyes. She stared back, and I saw a touch of red illuminate her metal cheeks. A blush? I felt my own metal cheeks heat up, and dearly hoped she didn't notice.  
  
"I, uh…do you believe he'll be back?" she began.  
  
"Probably. You're his best kilobot," I returned.  
  
"Actually…canItellyoutwosomethings?" she started talking fast and quiet enough I had to strain my sound receptors to make out her words.  
  
"Uhh, sure," I said after a moment.  
  
"He designed a kilobot even stronger than me, just recently. He calls it--don't tell anyone, but--Gryphon."  
  
"Gryphon?" I stared at her, and she looked like there was something more to say, "Anything else?"  
  
"I can't lie. Yes, there is. This is about Kam himself…he doesn't tell anyone. Along with his butler, Eddie, and his father, Shin Kamazaki, the president of Bakas, I'm one of the few who knows--about his past…" she left off nervously. "I shouldn't be telling you this! If he ever finds out, he'll--he'll--well, he'll do something terrible to me!" She was now starting to cry. She needed to tell someone, I could tell. "He doesn't even know that I know! Eddie told me, just last week!"  
  
"Tell me. He'll never know, I promise," I assured, taking her hands as a tear streaked down her face from her one eye.  
  
"You promise? What does that mean?" she returned, gripping my hands tightly.  
  
"Uhh, promise…means I'm giving you my word…uhh, vow? Swear? Uhh, it's hard to describe…" I looked to the ceiling, eyes closed, looking through my mind for the right words. "Oh…in this case, I'm telling you he'll never know, and I'll…make sure of it…Guarantee?"  
  
"Guarantee? Yes, I get it. So, you 'promise'?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Will you tell me?"  
  
"Uhh, well, he never sees his father anymore. When he was born, his father built his mansion, and Kam never saw him again. He had his mother, and they loved each other…what exactly is 'love'?"  
  
"Love?" I was a bit taken aback by her question. The word 'love' struck my heart. I couldn't help but wonder why she knew so little. "It's like friendship, only much stronger. It's when two people care so much for each other, they'd do anything." I found this oddly easier to explain. The words seemed to flow by themselves, from my--from my heart?  
  
"Can medabots or kilobots like myself 'love'?" she continued.  
  
"Quite possibly." I felt a blush coming on, my cheeks heating up again, and stuttered through my next words, "Uh, oh, uh…can you continue--uh--with what y-you were telling m-me?"  
  
"Yes, uhh…" she ran through her mind where she left off, and repeated her last sentence, "He had his mother, and they loved each other, but his mom was very weak, and she…passed away when Kam was about four. According to Eddie, he's 'never shed a single tear since then'. It's like his heart hardened, not wanting to let in any emotions or get too attached to anything, in case he might lose it again, and go through the--the…"  
  
"Pain? Sadness? Heartbreak?" I suggested. She stared at me, seemingly surprised at my suggestions.  
  
"I understand sadness, that seems accurate, but pain? How would it hurt him? And I don't know what 'heartbreak' is in the least."  
  
"Uh, emotional pain. It hurt his feelings. And heartbreak means the same thing, only stronger, I suppose. His mother dying made him sad enough his heart broke."  
  
"His heart broke?!" she exclaimed, "Then it didn't harden? How is he still living if his heart is broken?"  
  
"Not literally, figuratively. Don't worry, most people get over heartbreak eventually…I think…"  
  
"Then why hasn't he?!" She seemed like she was going to cry again. I leaned closer to her and laid my hands on her shoulders, staring deep into her saddened eye. It was hard to see her feelings through one eye (the other was punched out in a 'robattle to survive' against one hundred enemies), but I could faintly see, in the dark room, tears shimmering under her eye.  
  
"I guess some people could…be hurt so much they, figuratively, pull back into their shell, and stay there until the pain passes, but they don't realize it will never pass until they find someone to replace whoever broke their heart. I mean, no one could ever replace someone else, but, you know…"  
  
"I think I get it. That's why everyone's making such a big fuss about me becoming his friend."  
  
"Yes, exactly."  
  
"Then why can't I do it?"  
  
"Because Kam's one of those 'some people'. He needs you. You're the only one."  
  
"I'm the only one…" she repeated quietly. She looked down, failing miserably at hiding a tear rolling down her black visor, and then mouth plate. My medal ached when I saw her tear. As I pushed aside the strange feelings, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close, rubbing her back. Taking this as in invitation to let her emotions flow, she cried onto my round shoulder, gripping both my shoulders as she shook and sobbed. I leaned back against the headboard again, letting her lean on me, and wrapped us both in the blankets. After we were both covered, I rubbed her metal back and whispered, "It's ok." every few moments. Every now and again, after I said that, she called out, "No, it's not!" and cried harder. She cried herself to sleep, and I simply fell asleep, eventually. It was probably about two AM before we both fell asleep.  
  
The next morning, we woke up, thankfully, before everyone else in the house, sometime around five AM. Once we were awake enough, we noticed each other, yelped, and jumped, shocked that we fell asleep like that--me holding her. She jumped off the bed and backed away a few steps, and I scooted back in the bed, though I couldn't scoot back as far as I wanted without hitting Zuru. I looked down behind me and at Zuru, who was sleeping peacefully despite the ruckus around him involving Blakbeetle and myself. A moment later, I looked back to Blakbeetle, scooted forward, and slipped off the bed. Blakbeetle watched every move I made intently, making me self-conscious of what I did. As I hit the ground after slipping off the bed, Blakbeetle took a step back. We turned to each other nervously, blushing madly, before we turned our backs to each other stiffly. After a moment or two that seemed to last forever, I turned to the bed, straightened the covers, and fluffed my pillow. My pillow wasn't as flattened in the middle as usual, since I didn't rest my head on it, and instead leaned back on the headboard with¾ you-know-who¾ so it cushioned my lower back. It was still rather flattened, though not quite as much or in the same way. I glanced sideways back at Blakbeetle to see her staring at me, watching my every move intently again. I couldn't help but wonder if she really knew why we were so jumpy. When she turned, walked stiffly over to her bed, and sat on the end of it with a sigh as her blush faded, I figured she didn't know why we were so jumpy, and just mirroring my moves, thinking my reaction must be right, though I don't think I handled it correctly. We both willingly fell asleep like that. We enjoyed each other's company--wait. Willingly? We enjoyed it? Did I…like her? We? Did she like me? We? That's impossible.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------Flashback-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
In the crowd at the party, Blakbeetle turned to me and wrapped her arms around me, obviously wondering what all the fuss was about with hugs. I, surprised, slowly wrapped my arms around her.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked eventually.  
  
"At first I wanted to know the deal with hugs, but--" she left off, realizing something. She pulled out of the hug suddenly, blushing rosy red, and held my shoulders at arms length. I let my arms drop by my sides, also blushing, and slightly disappointed that she pulled out of the hug.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked, in an oddly quiet, slightly higher-pitched voice than usual. Blakbeetle stared into my eyes. I stared back. She never answered.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------End Flashback------------------------------------------------------  
  
Or is it? I ignored the idea, as I watched her fall back on her bed, arms out by her sides, eyes closed. I stared for a moment, before I ran my hand over the white covers one last time to straighten them, and then leaned over on the bed, laying my hand on Zuru's shoulder, thinking about waking him. I decided against it, and, instead, took the covers, which were around his waist, and pulled them up around his neck. He would wake up at his usual time, six thirty-ish. Smiling, I left the room and headed downstairs. I entered the kitchen and headed immediately towards the cabinet next to the fridge. I kneeled down to the bottom drawer (one of the few things I, being three feet tall, have to kneel down to) and opened the drawer. Inside, there were several twelve-ounce cans of oil with a silver and black label, and a long, cardboard box filled with blandly colored straws, which we refilled weekly on average. I took out a can marked '1414FT' and my favorite color straw, dark purple. As I stood, can and straw in hand, I closed the drawer with my foot. I turned and walked to the tall kitchen table and reached up to put the can and straw on top. It must have been a funny sight to behold, because the table was at least six, seven inches taller than I was, and I had to reach up about arm's length to put the can and straw on top. I walked over to the first barstool seat with a back to my right and climbed up in it; yes, I had to climb, planting my hands on the seat, and stepping up on the silver, metal rim around the middle of the barstool's four metal legs, and pushing and pulling myself into the seat. I turned to the table and sat down normally, and then pulled the can of oil closer to open it. It opens like a can of soda, with pull-tab and all. I stuck my dark purple straw in the hole. Next, I touched a button on my muzzle on the point of my 'nose', and a vertical slit appeared on the middle of my muzzle. My muzzle opened at the slit and slid back into my armored helmet, revealing another muzzle, though this one didn't have an outcrop from my face, and formed perfectly over the bottom half of my humanoid head. The 'new' muzzle didn't have much sheen, except for my lips. Yes, I said lips. Not to mention the rest of my mouth in the bottom middle of my face. I opened and closed my mouth a few times to test it. I keep my muzzle shut most of the time, since, like a human's mouth and throat, my mouth and throat are a direct path to my internal systems, and if I swallow anything foreign to my systems, or, in other words, anything other than oil, it would spell 'disaster' for my systems, so my mouth is shut down most of the time and I find it hard to get used to when I power it on. I quickly thought up something to say for a test. But the word, or name, that came to mind first, which I blurted out, was surprising.  
  
"Blakbeetle." is what I said. The test worked. My lips moved to the words, like a human's, but the name I said made me jerk, wide-eyed. I tried to forget about it. She was on my mind after our talk the night before. Nothing to be surprised about.  
  
I stuck the straw between my lips and sucked. I took a few sips, swallowed, took a few more sips, and so on. To me, and probably not to anyone or any-bot else, it tasted sweet, yet tart, like a soda. I continued to drink, and eventually I happened to look up at the digital clock on the microwave. It showed '5:20 AM'. About an hour and ten minutes until Zuru, Tyrelbeetle, and Mr. Zora would wake up. I had an idea. I slipped off my seat and walked up to the refrigerator, leaving my oilcan and straw on the table. I opened the refrigerator and looked through it.  
  
A few minutes later, I stood on a black and white step stool so I was taller, just slightly, than the kitchen counter. I stared at the red and yellow box of bacon on the counter, feeling rather proud of myself for finding it, since I didn't know my way around the fridge for obvious reasons. Eventually, I got over myself and hopped off the step stool. I started bustling around the kitchen, preparing a simple, average breakfast for my master and his father, Zuru and Mr. Maizu Zora. I don't know what inspired me to do it, but I was cheerful this morning, and I just thought it was a good idea. Every few minutes or so I would hop up onto the barstool seat on one knee and sip my oil, then hop down and continue preparing breakfast.  
  
After about forty-five minutes, putting me at 6:16 AM, I leaned on the kitchen counter behind the kitchen table, stirring some applesauce in a clear plastic bowl. The kitchen booth-table was set, with two plates, two sets of utensils, two empty bowls for the applesauce, and all the food I had prepared: some toast, eggs, and bacon.  
  
I shifted my weight to my other leg and leaned on my arm on the counter, smiling as I stirred the applesauce with a wooden spoon. I looked up, checked the time, and looked back down at what I was doing. 6:20 AM. At least fifteen minutes before Zuru and Mr. Zora came down. More than enough time.  
  
I couldn't help but wonder what apple sauce tasted like. I trailed off in my thoughts, using the 'it would taste like apples' route, but of course that didn't help. I don't know what apples taste like, either.  
  
Figuring I had stirred the applesauce enough, I let go of the spoon, letting it lean on the rim of the bowl, and stood straight. As I put my weight on both feet, I lost my balance, and fell forward. I caught myself, bracing myself up with one hand on the edge of the counter, but my other hand landed on the edge of the bowl, flipping it up and splashing some applesauce in my face and the rest of me, and spilling some on the counter and down the front of the counter. I would've been ok and cleaned it up immediately if the equivalent of a large spoonful of applesauce hadn't landed in my mouth. I got my wish and found out what it tasted like, and I loved it, but I swallowed it. Wide-eyed and nervous, I clutched my left hand over my synthetic stomach and stared ahead into space, keeping my other hand on the counter.  
  
"That can't be good…" I uttered, as my nervousness graduated to terror. I heard the beeping of an alarm clock coming from upstairs, in my, Zuru's, Tyrelbeetle's, and Blakbeetle's room. With the thought that maybe I didn't swallow enough to bother my systems…maybe…I grabbed the neatly folded lavender towel from the far side of the sink and quickly wiped the applesauce off my front, then the counter, and then the front of the counter and floor. I wiped the apple sauce off the side of the bowl and stirred the rest of the apple sauce that was still in the bowl a few times, before dropping the towel down next to the sink, cupping my hands around the bowl, and picking it up. I carefully jumped off the stepstool and walked over to the booth-table, where I sat the bowl with the rest of the food. I scanned over the table, found what was missing, and ran to a cabinet above the counter. Having to stretch to reach the cabinet even though I was standing on the stool, I opened the cabinet, whipped out two clear glasses, sat them on the counter while I closed the cabinet, picked up the glasses, and jumped off the stool again, carrying the glasses to the table and sitting them by the plates. I then ran back over to the stool, kneeled down, and folded it so it looked like a miniature, two-step ladder, then opened the cabinet under the sink and leaned the now-folded stool against the side wall where I found it. After closing the cabinets, I stood, and my synthetic stomach ached. I clutched both hands over it as I headed back to the barstool-like chair, climbed up into it on one knee, and snatched my oilcan off the surface of the table. As I slid off the chair, oil in hand, my stomach ached again. I decided to throw the last few sips of my oil away, because I was oddly feeling too nauseated to drink the rest, so I threw it in the silver, metal trashcan by the fridge.  
  
I turned up the volume on my sound receptors to hear if anyone was coming downstairs yet. I couldn't hear anyone coming down, but I could hear movement upstairs. I had figured they had gotten up and were getting ready. At 6:40 AM, sitting in the barstool chair, I heard the alarm clock go off again, and scrambling to turn it off.  
  
Figures. Zuru usually hit's the snooze button, but still gets up, so every ten minutes it goes off again, until Mr. Zora comes in and turns it off for him! I thought, causing myself to giggle aloud quietly. As my stomachache grew, I sat in the barstool chair simply waiting for Zuru and Mr. Zora to come down. I hoped the food wouldn't get cold. At 6:50 AM, I heard two people and two medabots, rather, one medabot and one kilobot, heading down stairs quickly. Then I heard Zuru's voice coming from the other side of the kitchen door.  
  
"Roks, are you down here?" he asked. I looked to the door, and a moment later Zuru, followed by Mr. Zora, Tyrelbeetle, and Blakbeetle, came in.  
  
"Yes, I'm right here," I answered, my stomach aching even more. Zuru turned to me, smiling.  
  
"Oh. You're up early," he commented.  
  
"Yeah, I got up around five," I returned. "Breakfast is on the table!"  
  
"What?" everyone who had entered exclaimed. Zuru and Mr. Zora, who had a definite family resemblance, turned and looked to the booth table, and their eyes widened immediately.  
  
"You made that, Roks?" Mr. Zora asked unbelievingly.  
  
"Yeah, like I said, I got up around five, so I decided to have breakfast ready when you come down."  
  
"Thank you! Looks great!" Zuru exclaimed, now standing at the end of the table and looking over the food. Seeing that they were both mesmerized by the breakfast that I made, I clutched my hand tight over my synthetic stomach and winced, holding my breath. Unluckily, both Blakbeetle and Tyrelbeetle noticed and ran up to me worriedly.  
  
"Roks, what's wrong?" Tyrelbeetle asked quietly. I jerked at his voice, and looked down at him and Blakbeetle nervously.  
  
"Yes, Roks, what is wrong?" Blakbeetle added. I slipped off my seat and turned to Blakbeetle and Tyrelbeetle. Still clutching my stomach, I nearly buckled over at my 'new' standing position.  
  
"I--uh--" I felt a strange burning sensation in my stomach, and I had to resist slapping my free hand over my mouth, "I'll tell you later!" As I turned around, I glanced up at the clock, and then ran on, unable to resist slapping my hand over my mouth anymore. It was 7:01 AM. It takes a half hour for anything that goes into my stomach to 'digest', in a sense. I ran swiftly down the hall connected to the kitchen, turned at the first right turn, ran down that hall, and no later than I passed the office, I collapsed to my knees, sliding a few inches, and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I moved my hand from my mouth, clutching both hands over my stomach, leaned over, and vomited oil all over the floor. I whimpered, squeezing my eyes shut. Zuru had been sick before, every kid has, with at least a stomach ache once or twice, but I had no idea it hurt this much.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------Flashback-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Here you go, Zu-Zu," I informed quietly, sitting on my knees on my, Zuru's, and Gorem-Two's bed, a brown wooden tray with a bowl of soup and a glass of soda on it in my hands. A much younger-looking Zuru turned over and sat up, in his pajama's, and took the tray, the covers falling down around his waist.  
  
"Thanks, Roks. You make it?" young Zuru returned, leaning on the headboard.  
  
"Yeah. Your father helped, though," I answered, causing Zuru to giggle slightly. I reached up and felt his forehead for his temperature. Still too hot, though it had gone down since the last time I checked.  
  
"Zu-Zu, how are you feeling?" Yes, I called him 'Zu-Zu' again. I'm the only one who calls him that. It's his pet name from me. His father has a different pet name, and so does a girl who's been training him since before I was activated.  
  
"A little better. Thanks again," he replied. He leaned toward me, wrapping his arms around my neck. I was a bit surprised, but I returned the hug after a moment. I really enjoy taking care of him.  
  
A little while later, I poked my head in the room door and looked at Zuru, who was done with the meal, and half-asleep with his hand over his stomach. I stepped in quietly and climbed up on the bed, and, sadly, in doing so he noticed me.  
  
"Sorry to wake you. If you're done, I'll take the tray," I apologized.  
  
"I wasn't asleep, anyway. I am done, though, thank you," he returned. I took the tray from his lap as he leaned back against the headboard, closing his eyes and wincing. I sat the tray down behind me carefully, turned so I was shoulder-to-shoulder with Zuru, and stretched my armored legs out in front of me. I put my arm around his shoulders and pulled him close, letting his head lean on my shoulder and laying my hand over his, which was on his stomach. I leaned my chin on his head, looking down at him.  
  
"I'll take care of you, Zu-Zu."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------End Flashback------------------------------------------------------  
  
I was lying on my side in bed, one hand over my stomach, the other on my pillow. I felt nauseated, and I hated the feeling.  
  
Blakbeetle and Tyrelbeetle followed me, and found me unconscious in the hall, so they got Zuru and Mr. Zora to help.  
  
"Roks?" Zuru questioned from behind me. "How're you feeling?"  
  
"I'm fine. Zu-Zu?" I returned with a lie, and apparently surprising Zuru.  
  
"Uh, you haven't called me that in years. Why all of a sudden?" Zuru replied, climbing up on the bed behind me. I turned to him and sat up.  
  
"Just thinking…would you prefer I call you 'Zuru'?" I answered.  
  
"No, that's ok. Zu-Zu or Zuru, whichever you prefer."  
  
"Did you like breakfast?"  
  
"Yes, it was great! Thank you. Can you tell me what's wrong?" He changed the subject.  
  
"Uh, well, I accidentally swallowed some apple sauce."  
  
"Accidentally? How did that happen?"  
  
"I lost my balance, tipped the bowl, and threw apple sauce all over my face."  
  
"Oh, I get it. Are you ok? You were unconscious, you know."  
  
"I know. I'm ok, but my artificial-stomach's killing me." Zuru laid a hand over mine, which was over my stomach, and that immediately reminded me of what I was going to say before we got off track. "Zu-Zu, remember when you were sick, and I told you I'd take care of you?"  
  
"Uhh," he thought for a moment, and then nodded, "Yeah, I do. What about it?"  
  
"Will you do the same for me?" I looked at him hopefully, and he immediately answered, as if it was obvious.  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Thank you." I leaned my head on his chest, optics dimmed and closed, and both hands over my stomach. Zuru held both my hands, wrapping one arm around me.  
  
"Sorry you're so sick. Are you going to walk to school with Tyrelbeetle, Blakbeetle, and me? Or is there anything I can get or do for you?"  
  
I groaned in response, and answered after a pause. "Yeah, I'll walk to school with you three, but--ah!--there's nothing you can do. I-it's too late to do anything about it. It's just a matter of time 'til my body tries to get rid of it by itself??"?I groaned again. Maybe I should stay home--ahhh!--my stomach hurts too much!  
  
"'Get rid of it by itself'? You mean…"  
  
"Yeah, exactly," I replied before he got to say it. I could tell what he was going to say. It's the only option my body would have. I already did it once, and it wasn't a pleasurable experience. It's what humans would call 'vomiting'.  
  
I sat on the steps outside our house, waiting for Zuru. Blakbeetle and Tyrelbeetle had gone to pick him up, and they forced me to stay home. By now, I could barely stand. If I could, I would immediately buckle over. I could tell my systems were starting to fail. Think nighttime, right after the sun sets, so there's still some light in the sky, but it's mostly dark, and then add thick smog and blurring, and you have my vision. Think a room quiet enough to hear a pin drop, with the low hum of the heater or air conditioner, and think that low hum is voices, and you have my hearing. Think a boxing match that you're losing, you're winded, with a headache and bruised painfully all over, and you have my feeling. Think a whisper you're hearing on an old, broken down television, so it's even harder to hear and make out the words because it's hoarse, metallic, and it fades in and out, and you have my voice. Think tasteless lettuce and water with lemons in it for dinner. Bland, right? Well, that's my taste, though I hadn't tried anything to test it, I could tell from the readouts on my system. Think being able to go swimming in drinking water and able to sniff it without filling your nose with water, so you swim to the floor to find a flower, and sniff it. You can barely smell it through the smell-less water. That's my sense of smell, though it might feel like I am filling my 'nose' with water. Very slowly, my world was going dark and senseless, the only thing going with me memories and a terrible synthetic stomachache. But this wasn't as bad as it could be. I often snapped to attention and had brief moments where my senses were normal, then they'd fade again, then snap, then fade, et cetera.  
  
I stood on wobbly legs, clutching my hand over my stomach, and slowly and shakily made my way to the opening in the wall around our house, holding in the urge to vomit again. I dropped to my knees by the opening and listened closely for Zuru, Tyrelbeetle, and Blakbeetle. I coughed, and then swallowed as best I could. I leaned on the wall, breathing heavily. The pain from my synthetic stomach seemed to restrict my airways. Yes, all medabots, especially speedy 'bots, breathe (breathing does include synthetic lungs), and it works as a ventilation system so we don't overheat, just as our synthetic stomachs and 'drinking' works as a way to refill on vitals like oil, since oil's like our blood.  
  
"Roks!" I looked up, and saw Zuru dropping to his knees in front of me, and then pulling me into a comforting hug.  
  
"Ah, Zuru, hey," I returned weakly, closing my eyes and leaning into the hug. After a moment, he pulled back, keeping his hands on my shoulders, and asked, "How are you?"  
  
"Nauseated," I answered, hanging my head and gripping my hands over my stomach. "I'm worse than this morning." I lifted my head to see Zuru, Tyrelbeetle, and Blakbeetle staring at me sympathetically. Then, I saw three more stares, coming from the black-haired blue-eyed boy, Ikki Tenryou, the golden Kabuto medabot, Metabee, and my very-close-in-looks-counterpart, Rokusho. "What are you three doing here?"  
  
"They forced me to tell them what's wrong with you," Zuru began, grabbing everyone's attention, "and then they followed me to see you, and I didn't have much say in the matter." He looked up at me hopefully, "I hope you don't mind some company."  
  
"That's ok. I guess I could use some company," I assured nervously. I felt so bad the only ones I was interested in seeing were, in rank order, Zuru--or was Blakbeetle at the top of my list?--Blakbeetle--but then Zuru would be second--and Tyrelbeetle--my brother would stay the same, right? I mean, my partner would stay the same, right? Brother? First strange feelings around Blakbeetle, now this? Actually, this had been going on for a long time now. No matter how long it's been going on, why would I say 'brother'? 

And tats teh prologue!! As they say, plz R&R!!


	2. Confession Confusion

Chapter I: Confession Confusion  
  
It was Tuesday, around lunchtime. I had felt sick all day, but I oddly felt better than the night before. Thankfully, I figured I felt good enough to robattle, because we, meaning Zuru and I, along with Ikki, Rokusho, and Metabee, had a challenge from the worst of Kam's three main lackeys, Kintora and Minitora, and their kilobots Unitrix and Exor. The robattle was set for after school, which fried Zuru's idea of staying home with me. But I don't mind. I didn't want him to miss out on school because of me. He's good in school, unlike Ikki. In fact, for that excuse to get out of school, Ikki would probably want Metabee to get sick. But for no other reason than the excuse. He wouldn't want Metabee to be sick, just an excuse to get out of school.  
  
I was sitting on the couch in the living room, or den, I suppose, half asleep with my head on Blakbeetle's shoulder and hands over my stomach. Tyrelbeetle sat on the other side of me, wrapping a few blankets around me. Nothing special had happened today--yet--so I've been here and there throughout the house, half asleep wherever I landed. Once on the chair in the office, once in my bed, once at the kitchen table, and, of course, on the couch with Tyrelbeetle and Blakbeetle, where I currently was. So you get the picture that I'm tired, right? I must admit, though, I like having a few friends taking care of me. The only ones missing were Zuru and Ikki. Yes, I mean Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, Metabee, Rokusho, Arc-Dash, Honey, Peppercat, Totalizer, Krosserdog, Brass, and, of course, myself, were all there. Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, and I were on the couch, Metabee and Rokusho sat shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the couch, Arc-Dash and Peppercat were talking at the kitchen table while they shared a can of oil, Brass and Honey were chatting, sitting on the steps in the kitchen door, and, according to the clanking and firing I heard outback, Totalizer and Krosserdog were having a test-of-strength robattle outside. I suppose having all my friends here could be special in itself, but other than that, nothing.  
  
After school, Zuru and Ikki would contact us over their medawatches. Ikki borrowed a medawatch for Rokusho from Professor Hushi, and he's going to coach Rokusho. Zuru wanted to be Rokusho's medafighter-for-a-day, but after thinking it over with Ikki, they both figured Zuru would have his hands full with me, since I'm not exactly at the top of my game.  
  
The day went on like this, until about 3:45 PM, when I received a call from Zuru over the medawatch, followed almost immediately by calls from Ikki to Rokusho and Metabee the same way. At that, we all headed out to Zuru and Ikki's school, Riverview Junior High.  
  
Once at the school, we all gathered in the playground. I stood in front of Zuru, one hand over my stomach and struggling to stand properly, while Zuru had his medawatch arm poised or battle; medawatch raised to his mouth. Metabee and Rokusho stood in front of Ikki, easily standing properly (lucky them), while Ikki had both medawatch arms poised for battle in the same manner Zuru holds them when Tyrelbeetle and I are tag-teaming; crossed in front of his chest so both medawatches were at his mouth.  
  
Across from us were Unitrix, who was directly across from Rokusho and Metabee, Exor, who was directly across from me, and their medafighters behind them: Minitora, the black-haired boy who seems to lead the two, behind Unitrix, while the out-of-shape runner-up with a purple overcoat, Kintora, was behind Exor.  
  
Everyone who was at the Zora house were sitting or standing on the off-white concrete wall around the playground, while their medafighters leaned against the wall below them.  
  
Everyone seemed at least a little rigid with anticipation and tense. Some were worried about how I would make out in this robattle, being sick and all. When medafighters get sick, they don't coach their medabots in robattles, so it's a little odd that a medabot is sick and is robattling. Most people know that medabots do the hard part and most of the work in robattling at least. Sure, it's hard to come up with strategies sometimes, and being able to think on your feet is a little hard, but having to do what the medafighters say is much harder, especially since it hurts to be hit in robattles. Who said medabots don't hurt? Not only emotionally, either. There are plenty of things the sense of touch is needed for, not to mention if a medabot couldn't feel, they may not know when to stop fighting or when they've had enough. Take Rokusho for instance. He's been medafighter-less for a large chunk of his life, so if he couldn't feel, he would probably be scrap metal by now because he didn't have a medafighter or a medawatch to tell him when to stop. Get the picture?  
  
"Listen, are we gonna' start this fight or what?" asked the leader of our two enemies, Minitora. Ikki glared at him, and then looked to Rokusho and Metabee. Zuru looked to me.  
  
"Are you ready, Rokusho, Metabee?" they asked simultaneously. The only thing that differed from that when Zuru said it was the name. Rokusho and Metabee smirked in their eyes, while I did a full-face smirk with a hidden wince, since I still had my muzzle open in case I vomited again.  
  
Naturally, without asking their kilobots, Kintora and Minitora started the match, ordering Unitrix and Exor to charge. With a call from my medafighter, I focused on his voice and orders, and on my assigned enemy, Exor. In my mind's optic, I saw the 'mode' symbol in the top left corner switch from 'normal mode' to 'battle mode' as I ran side-by-side with Exor into the jungle-jim serving as an obstacle course. The small print on the left side of my mind's optic read that Zuru had activated the medavision.  
  
Roks, how are you doing? I heard Zuru ask, his voice quieted and metallic in my mind over the medawatch.  
  
I'm fine so far. It's just been a race with Exor to the swings, unless he, or rather, his kilofighter, decides to attack, I returned through the circuitry.  
  
Kilofighter? Good name. I'm on standby if anything happens. Hang in there buddy. He beeped out at that, but I could tell by the readouts that he was watching with the medavision, and still in complete connection with me. I sure didn't want him to leave. I wasn't as fine as I said I was. The sudden movement and change of modes threw my synthetic stomach for a loop. I guessed he saw some damage points on my head arrangement and noticed I was moving much slower than usual, so he asked how I was doing. Maybe I should stop lying about it.  
  
I glanced up at Exor, who was mindlessly running along beside me. It was strange to look at someone, or something, and know they were soulless, literally. I felt sorry for him. I was feeling sorry for something that can't acknowledge the world around him, or that can't think on its own, and all it's good for is fighting until the bitter end. It can't be sad or cry, or be happy, or go out and have fun with friends. It will never know joy, laughter, sadness, crying--or loving, or that 'one special person'. Do medabots have a 'one special person'? Or kilobots like--like Blakbeetle? Will I ever find that 'one special person'? Or have I already found her? Wait. If I've already found 'her', then who is she? She can't be Blakbeetle!--can she?  
  
Then, Zuru snapped me out of my daze with a warning and order, Roks! Exor just received an order! I know you can't go any faster than that now, so don't try. Watch him closely, then dodge his attack by dropping back behind him! Before he tries again -- I watched Exor for his attack, and saw his flexor sword on his right arm extend, and he seemed to move in slow motion as he raised it in the air. At that moment, I slammed on the brakes and dropped back-- get ahead of him and run to the swings. Jump in one --I did as he said, running around Exor as fast as I could with a stomach ache, and ran for the swings. As I neared them, I jumped and landed standing in a swing--?and use your built up momentum to swing as high as you can! Time it right, so Exor, guessing he'll follow you, will run right under the swing! I swung high without having to try, and, just as my smart medafighter predicted, Exor ran right under me. Wait for him to turn around, then jump out of the swing! Then run up the slide, without slipping! It's faster than going up the ladder!  
  
Why wait for him to turn around? I returned as Exor came to a stop and turned to face me. I jumped out of the swing and followed my master's orders, even though I questioned them. I trust him to take care of me, in a robattle or out of a robattle, whether I'm sick or in perfect shape.  
  
I want him to follow you! Don't worry; I've got a plan, just get ahead of him! Trust me, he answered.  
  
"I do." That came out aloud and over the medawatch. I'm proud to say I trust him!  
  
I ran up the slide, hoping Exor would follow me. I paused, standing at the highest point on the jungle-jim at the top of the yellow slide, waiting for Zuru. I heard fuzz in my circuitry coming from his end. My senses were fading.  
  
'Curse the timing!' I shouted at myself in my head angrily. I tried to contact him, as I turned to see Exor gaining on me. I had a few moments to get myself in order, or he'll catch me. Zuru! Come in, Zuru! Zu-Zu! He's gaining on me! If you can hear me, my senses are fading. If you're trying to say something, you're not coming through! I got more fuzz in response, then, though my hearing was almost just as bad as my medawatch communications, I heard Zuru's real voice.  
  
"Roks! Move as fast as you can and get to the other side of the tunnel!" he called. I turned and threw myself feet-first through the tunnel, and stood once I was on the other side. As I stood, clutching my stomach, I buckled back over and had to catch myself using the tunnel beside me. I weakly looked to Zuru, who was standing at the entrance to the playground, fists raised.  
  
"Zu-Zu? Y-you came here?" I called back, hoping he heard me since my voice wasn't doing so well.  
  
"Yes, you came through on my end. And the medavision seemed to shutdown on me, so I had to be here in person so you don't lose!" he returned.  
  
"Thank you. I can't robattle without you." I looked down to the bottom of the slide, and saw Exor scrambling up it. I looked back to Zuru for commands, and I mainly had to lip-read. I think he said, "Hold him down when he comes out of the tunnel, and then use your Cutlass!" Another good plan, which I followed.  
  
Exor crawled out of the tunnel and looked around for me. When he looked up, his eyes widened, betraying his masters surprise, as I, holding onto the tunnel for balance with my other hand over my stomach, stomped down on him and held him there with one foot. I opened my Cutlass and raised it into the air, preparing to attack. With a blue flash, I saw the needed parts for demolition mode transport as Exor transformed to look like his body type; a saber-tooth tiger. He raised his front end.  
  
"Roks! Terminate attack! Jump over-- " My hearing faded, and all I heard was fuzz. "-- attacks! He'll take out your right leg if he hits you! ---- shadows!"  
  
"Jump over what? What about shadow--AHHH!" I looked down abruptly as my leg felt like it was almost torn right of my body. Exor had attacked by shooting his 'paws' as projectiles. I read the readouts transmitted from Zuru's medawatch in my mind. Seventy-five percent damage. A warning flashed through my mind.  
  
"Zu-Zu! What do I do?" I called, sounding scared.  
  
"Jump over the edge of the jungle-jim! Hide in the shadows behind the structure!" he answered, obviously repeating what he had said a moment earlier. I jumped frantically over the edge, pushing myself over by jumping a second time off the railing. I fell down behind the jungle-jim, fearing the landing. When I landed, I could tell my legs and head arrangement took a jolt and some damage, but I stayed there kneeling down with my eyes closed. I could hear Exor sliding down the slide and running around to find me. Good thing he can't think on his own, and since I held him down, his medafighter didn't see me jump off the edge via medavision. I opened one eye and peeked out from my hiding place between the jungle-jim's base and the wall. I saw Zuru standing right inside the opening, acting like I was somewhere else so Exor and his medafighter wouldn't find me, then Exor running a quick circle around him before heading back towards the swings. A moment later, Zuru turned to me, though I'm sure all he saw was the red light from my eyes, and ran towards where he thought I was. His eyes must've adjusted to the darkness, because he saw me, turned so he could keep half an eye on the entrance to our hiding place, and kneeled down next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "You ok?" he asked quietly. I winced at his voice, gripping my stomach.  
  
"Not completely--AH!" I squeezed my eyes shut and threw my head up as a surge of pain ran up my throat. Zuru gasped. "No! I'm-I'm not ok!" I hung my head, wincing. My eyes shadowed over. "M-my stomach…" Zuru responded by laying a hand over my stomach worriedly as I shook, and then I vomited oil a second time in two days.  
  
"Roks…" Zuru sympathetically wiped oil from my mouth, while I breathed heavily. I leaned over on him, eyes closed.  
  
"I-I can still battle. Just let me rest for-for a moment," I requested, before nodding off in sleep mode, or more like passing out. A few minutes later, I 'woke' with a start when I heard Zuru scream, and I jumped right into 'battle mode'. I looked up, and saw Exor blocking our small amount of light, his Flexor Sword extended and raised. Getting over an increasingly terrible stomachache, I jumped to my feet and stepped in front of Zuru, as Exor brought down his sword. The attack hit my inner shoulder (the part of my shoulder closest to my neck) and left a slice as it slid down and off my chest. I heard beeping coming from Zuru's medawatch as I fell backwards and landed at Zuru's feet. Then an announcement of damage.  
  
Head arrangement: fifty-percent damage. Eighty-percent damaged.  
  
"Roks, can you continue?" Zuru asked as I shakily sat up.  
  
"I'm s-still function-'tion-in', aren't I-I?" I returned, my voice getting stuck on words and repeating itself.  
  
"Yes, but, what do you mean?"  
  
"I mean--y-yes-yes! I can-can con-continue-'tinue!" My voice was getting worse with every word I said.  
  
"You can barely speak! Roks, why don't you drop out of this robattle? You were in no shape to try in the first place, you're taking heavy damage, and you vomited again! I'm just scared for you. Go home, and let Tyrelbeetle take your place, ok?" I stared at him for a moment, thinking it over, and then nodded.  
  
"But-but I still need to fight him o-of-off-off. I can-can las-as-ast long-ong enough to do that-at."  
  
"You probably can. Fine, but just get him down long enough for us to get past. Be careful, ok?"  
  
"S-sure." I jumped to my feet, and Exor raised his sword again. He brought it down before I could react, and left two trails down the side of my face. I instinctively clutched one hand over it, but of course that made it sting, so I opened my Cutlass, raised it, and swiped it down. Exor ducked, threw a punch to my chest, which knocked me back against the wall, and followed me. Before I slipped off the wall and to the ground, he caught me with punches, which were fast and quick enough to pin me up.  
  
"Roks!" Zuru exclaimed, as he took a step closer. He stopped himself, realizing the situation. I was glad he stopped. If he came closer, he'd be bound to get hurt, and that's the last thing I wanted, if that.  
  
Exor's punches were starting to leave dents. One punch struck my stomach, and I screamed out at the unbearable pain. I raised my hand up over it, trying not to let that spot get hit again. It hurt so much the rest of the punches barely bothered me. I already had a stomachache. Why hurt it more? Why?! I couldn't come up with anything to do, so I looked up at Zuru, who seemed to be calculating something.  
  
"Zu-Zu! What should I--" Zuru cut me off, motioning for me to hang in there for another moment or two, and looked down at the ground, eyes closed and covering his ears.  
  
I screamed in pain again as Exor punched the hand on my stomach, sending a jolt to my stomach through my hand.  
  
"Roks! Watch his punches carefully, ok?" I stared at Zuru for a moment, as the swift and painful punches continued. I looked down at them, trying not to shut my eyes or wince, since Zuru opened the medavision. After a moment, he called, "There's a brief pause between the punches. It should be enough time for you to use your Cutlass! You got your hand up, so you can move, you just have to make the right moves!" He was examining a snapshot he took of my visions of that 'brief moment between punches' displayed on his medavision. I continued staring at the punches. I found that brief moment, threw my Cutlass in the air, and swiped it through the air towards Exor's side. Luckily, I hit before another punch aimed for my stomach hit, and it flung Exor front-first for the side of the jungle-jim. He fell to the ground and rolled over twice, before he stopped, face down, and shakily started sitting up. I slipped down to the ground, unable to stand on my own anymore. Zuru noticed, ran to me, grabbed me up in his arms, turned, and ran for the opening in the wall. He ran through the opening, past the 'Metabee and Rokusho versus Unitrix' robattle, past Ikki, and stopped by the concrete wall. He dropped to his knees and leaned me back on the wall. He then felt the scar on the side of my face sympathetically.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked. I peeked around him, nodded to answer his question, and watched a rather funny scene with Metabee and Rokusho.  
  
"Hit it, Rokusho!" Metabee shouted as he punched a flying Unitrix in Rokusho's direction. Rokusho raised his Chanbara Sword and sliced it forward, whacking Unitrix to the ground.  
  
"You called him 'it'!" he shouted as he ran to Metabee, making it look like an accident when he stomped on Unitrix's head.  
  
"Yeah, I know!" Metabee raised his hand for a high-five, but Rokusho stared at it, looking confused, and then looked down at Unitrix, who was getting slowly to his feet. Metabee sighed with his typical "Ah, man!", and asked rhetorically, "Does this guy ever stay down?"  
  
"Guess not," Rokusho answered, poising for another round.  
  
I giggled slightly, but winced with a yelp when my stomach burned. Zuru stared for a moment, and then looked over at the medabots lining the top of the wall.  
  
"Tyrelbeetle, Blakbeetle!" he called. Tyrelbeetle and Blakbeetle responded by jumping and slipping off the edge of the wall, landing, and running up to Zuru. Blakbeetle glanced at me, and then back to Zuru. "Tyrelbeetle, I need you to take Roks's place in the robattle. Blakbeetle, you take Roks home." What?! B-Blakbeetle taking me home?! Wha-why couldn't Tyrelbeetle have taken me home?! Oh no!  
  
"Uhh, right," Blakbeetle replied. She kneeled down next to me and put my arm around her shoulders, then her arm around my shoulders, and then she helped me to my feet. I noticed a blush on her metal cheeks, and realized I was probably blushing as well.  
  
A little while later, Blakbeetle and I were limping towards the front door of our house. Well, she was limping, while my feet were dragging every other step. We had walked in silence the entire way, neither of us brave enough to break it. Our blushes had faded, but still, neither of us was…acting normal. Finally, Blakbeetle decided to break the silence.  
  
"What does a stomach ache feel like?" she asked as we entered our house.  
  
"Uhh, it's hard to describe…it burns, for one," I began as Blakbeetle helped me to the kitchen table.  
  
"Burns? Where?" Blakbeetle continued, climbing up into the second chair as I headed for the drawer with the oil. I kneeled down carefully, of my stomach, opened the drawer, took out a can of oil, and, of course, a dark purple straw, closed the drawer with my free hand, and stood. I clutched my hand back over my stomach as I headed to the first chair, and answered Blakbeetle's question before I climbed up.  
  
"Here." I rubbed my stomach to identify where it burned, and she nodded. "It kinda' feels like a fire's started inside me. Mixed with stuffing something large down my throat, and it aches like--like it's severally damaged."  
  
"Sorry you feel that way," Blakbeetle responded. I sat the can of oil and straw on the table. Again, I had to reach up arm's length, but then buckled over, crossing my arms over my stomach and dropping to one knee. "Are you ok?!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm--I'm fine--" I groaned. Again, I lied about it. I stood, wincing, and climbed into the first barstool chair. I pulled the can and straw closer, opened the can, and stuck the straw in, while Blakbeetle watched intently, her head in one hand and leaning her elbow on the table. As I sipped the oil, I looked sideways at her, and asked nervously, "Wha-why are you watching me?"  
  
"No reason. Sorry," she returned, sitting straight and suddenly finding her twiddling thumbs very interesting. I rolled my optic targets, closed my eyes, and continued sipping, uttering, "Whatever," under my breath. After a moment, I noticed her watching me again, so I asked, "Now what?"  
  
"What does it taste like?"  
  
"Uhh, like a stomach ache, it's hard to describe. Why don't you taste some for yourself?" I returned.  
  
"Sure." I sat up and turned, ready to slide out of my chair and get her a can of her own, when she pressed the button on the tip of her nose and her muzzle opened like mine, revealing lips…rather lovely lips…ki--wait! She-she then snatched my can and took a few long sips, eyes closed and obviously enjoying it. I stared at her, dumbfounded, and she, after a moment or two, broke from the straw and slid it back in front of me. "I like it."  
  
"B-but--th-that was mine…I drank out of it," I said quietly, blinking. 'And now she won't understand if I don't drink anymore and let her have the rest. Good thing medabots don't have germs, but--my lips touched that straw!'  
  
"So?" Blakbeetle replied, obviously not understanding. 'What do I do? What do I tell her? What do I find wrong with it exactly?'  
  
"So that was mine!" I tried, turning to her and resituating in my seat. Not the best thing to say…  
  
"Oh, well, there's plenty left!" Great. The last thing I needed. She's cheerful about it! She just doesn't understand! It's cute on some level…  
  
"Ohhh! Never mind." I turned back to the table and uncomfortably sipped my oil through the straw out of which we both previously drank. 'Awkward moment here…' She stared at me again, looking confused instead of interested this time. Suddenly, her expression changed to interested, making me uncomfortable.  
  
"Are you ok? Are you heating up?" she asked, surprising me.  
  
"N-no. Why?" I returned, trying to sound calm, and failing miserably.  
  
"Your face is turning red on your cheeks. If you're not overheating, then why are they red?" she continued. She must have seen a blush. That's just what I needed--first she doesn't understand, and now that's leading her to questions I don't want to answer.  
  
"It's a--it's a--a--blush," I answered squeakily.  
  
"What is a blush?" She's going on about it.  
  
"A blush? I don't know for sure, actually. It's just something humans-and obviously medabots-do when they feel certain emotions," I said. I wasn't completely sure of myself. What is a blush? Why--  
  
"Why are you blushing? What emotions?" Exactly what I was wondering. Why was I blushing? Was I overheating and didn't know it? There's no way. I would know. Did I flip a switch in my systems to cause my coloring to change, and it happened to turn red and start on my cheeks? No, there's not a switch like that. Besides, that's too much of a coincidence. Was I embarrassed about the 'drinking oil' incident with--with her? No, I think I liked it--what? What was I starting to think when she opened her muzzle? ''Lips. Lovely lips, in my opinion. Kissable… SHE'S lovely, actually, very lovely. Beautiful, even. LOVABLE'' that was my answer right there. Lovable. I liked her. How? I don't know. I was a medabot, she was a kilobot…doesn't seem…normal…for two medabots to love each other. It couldn't be normal for a medabot and a kilobot to love each other. But of course, I--maybe. Maybe we felt the same for each other. I had to take my chances, whether she liked me or not, I had to tell her. Are those really my feelings? Do I really like her? These feelings were strange. I knew love. I loved my bro-uh-partner, and especially my medafighter, but not in the same way. Am I--scared? Of what? Scared of the feelings? No, maybe the reason for the feelings? No, not that either, maybe the outcome if I tell her? Yes, I-I think that's it! 'Just tell her and get it over with!'  
  
By the time I finished thinking it over, Blakbeetle had escorted me to the couch, and we were now sitting, wrapped in two comfy, dark red blankets. She was even leaning on me, her head on my shoulder, much to my surprise and likeness. Her eyes were closed, her muzzle was still opened, and she was almost asleep. I had unconsciously put my arm around her, and by the time I snapped out of my daze, a side of me said to pull away, but that wasn't the side of me my arm was on. I would tell her. Right here and right now…I hope Zuru comes home within the next minute!  
  
"Blakbeetle?" I began nervously, looking down at her half-asleep face. She opened her eyes slightly and looked up at me without lifting her head off my shoulder.  
  
"Yes? You're blushing again." She was right. My cheeks felt warm. I resisted the temptation to go off subject--a hard thing to resist in this case--and continued.  
  
"I--uh--think--I--like you," I finally got out, stuttering. She smiled and closed her eyes, getting back into position and pulling the covers tighter around her. She responded, "Well, thanks, I like you, too."  
  
"I mean--uh--not as a friend." This seemed to hurt her. She looked up at me again, with a, of course, hurt expression on her face. She looked as though she was about to cry.  
  
"Y-you're not my friend?!" Her voice was high-pitched and shaky with impending tears.  
  
"N-no! Not that! I like-like you, as in more than a friend!" I could suddenly say it, surprising myself. She relaxed at this, thought for a moment, her head bowed, and eventually a blush formed on her cheeks.  
  
"Y-you mean like 'love'?"  
  
"I guess," I returned. She continued blushing with her head bowed, her eyes shadowed over and fist clenched on the edge of her covers. 'How will she take it? Does she think I'm a total jerk?! No, wait, she doesn't know what 'jerk' means. But still…What if she hates me?!' At the last thought, I bit my lip nervously, getting a new sensation in my stomach. Fluttery with nervousness and hope…'butterflies'. I clenched my hand over my already aching stomach at the flutters, and impatiently awaited her response. She was taking as long as I had to figure out my feelings…maybe she was doing the same, and maybe she'd come to the same conclusion! Maybe…  
  
"I-I think I love you, too," was her response, as she looked up at me with sparkly, happy eyes.  
  
"The-then it definitely means 'love'!" I lowered my voice and uttered to myself, "And to think, I was nervous! Puh-lease!"  
  
"What?" She must have heard me utter that 'something', and I shook my head in response, a huge blush illuminating the usually all-white bottom half of my face, I could feel it. I looked down into her eyes, past the blush on her face, which matched my blush.  
  
"Y-you look tired. Go to sleep until Zuru and Tyrelbeetle get home, at least," I told her quietly and lovingly. Lovingly…I like the sound of that. When could I tell--WHO could I tell? Then when? I could definitely tell Zuru and Tyrelbeetle. Speaking of which, I was starting to get worried that they weren't home yet. That's one long robattle. Hopefully nothing else happened to them.  
  
I winced at the idea of something happening to them and pulled Blakbeetle closer for comfort, and she smiled, before loosing the smile and falling into a deep slumber with a peaceful expression.  
  
Then, thankfully without any noise, my stomach gave a nasty lurch, and I held my breath, thinking, 'Maybe I shouldn't've had that oil.' I got that burning sensation suddenly, followed by that pain up my throat. 'No! Not here! Not NOW!' But I couldn't control it. It probably was my fault, since I added extra oil to my systems KNOWING I probably couldn't keep it down. I jumped out of my seat, Blakbeetle sitting up suddenly and looking worriedly up at me, "Roks?"  
  
"Keep an eye out for Zu-Zu, ok? I'll be right back--" I turned and ran for the kitchen, hearing Blakbeetle question behind me, "Who's Zu-Zu? ZuRU?" 


	3. Movie Night

AN: One Japanese word: Itsumo=ever/forever (Disclaimer: I still no own!) Oh, what does OC and OOC mean?

Chapter II: Movie Night  
  
Tuesday night, or possibly very early Wednesday morning, I laid in bed reading my third book happily. I was amazed of how much better I felt, after vomiting several times throughout the evening. I still felt sick, but better than ever. I think it had something to do with Blakbeetle and I becoming an official couple, however official kilobot-medabot relationships can be.  
  
Zuru, Ikki, Tyrelbeetle, Metabee, and Rokusho won the robattle, though it wasn't easy. Tyrelbeetle came home severally damaged. By the time they got home, it was too late to run to Miss Nae and get the repairs done on Tyrelbeetle, Rokusho, Metabee, or me. We would get the repairs done after school Wednesday. Besides, I was too sick to leave the house after I drank that oil.  
  
The strange thing is, Zuru said that after Kintora and Minitora lost, they started whining about how some power upgrades didn't work. Power as in strength. Their punches and shots did do more damage than usual. At least it felt like it. I think their armor might have been better, too. Remember how Exor and Unitrix really never stayed down while I was still there? I'm guessing Kam made those upgrades.  
  
I flipped the page, adjusted so the light on my bedside table hit the page better, and read on, laughing every few moments.  
  
Zuru groaned as he turned to me, grabbing my attention, and asked groggily, "Roks, what are you still doing awake?"  
  
"Reading," I answered, then laughed at what I was reading. Zuru glanced at the cover of my book.  
  
"First, you were reading a book--no, a novel of short stories--"  
  
"And I read every single one thoroughly, followed by 'A Book of Jokes'," I interrupted. Zuru continued.  
  
"And now 'A Book of Jokes Two'?! Roks, get to sleep, you need it. I need it. I can't sleep with you laughing or that light on."  
  
"Sorry!" I apologized with a giggle. Zuru shook his head, and turned his back to the light with a sigh. I sighed angrily, slamming my book shut and sitting it on the bedside table.  
  
"Zuru? I want to tell you something. I've wanted to tell you all evening," I admitted.  
  
"What?" He actually sounded interested now. Good. I reached over Zuru as he turned over, and shook Tyrelbeetle lightly to wake him. He opened his eyes and shot up with a yelp, and then looked around modestly.  
  
"Sorry. What's up?" he apologized and asked, placing his gaze on me.  
  
"Well, you are. I want to tell you both something. I'm also gonna' tell Rokusho tomorrow, I think. I don't know who Blakbeetle's gonna' tell, if anyone or any-bot." Zuru and Tyrelbeetle nodded, and then stared at me, prompting me to say what I woke them up for. "I-it's good news, I think. Blakbeetle and I--we--we're--an--an official--" Why couldn't I get it out? Was it just because I'm under pressure to say it now? "--an official couple." Finally!  
  
"Couple? You two--like each other? Cool!" Tyrelbeetle exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah! That's great! It's about time--" Tyrelbeetle slapped his hand over Zuru's mouth nervously, with, of course, a nervous giggle.  
  
"About time? You mean, it was obvious we should get together?" I asked, surprised and starting to feel a little violated.  
  
"Yes, it was. The way you two acted around each other, the way you both blushed whenever you looked at each other, and not to mention you two were obviously drawn together!" Tyrelbeetle admitted happily, with a giggle.  
  
"Yeah! I mean, you could probably start on opposite sides of the road about a block from here and head home, and by the time you got halfway here, you'd be walking side-by-side down the middle of the road!" Zuru added jokingly, though I'd bet he was right.  
  
"Well, um, thanks, I guess."  
  
"Congratulations, to both of you!" Tyrelbeetle and Zuru said, before flopping back onto the bed and dozing off again. 'Whatever…'   
  
Wednesday, after school, Rokusho, Brass, Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, and I all met at the school a little early. Metabee, of course, was late. But I felt that was a good thing. I wanted to tell Rokusho, because he can keep a secret, while Metabee would tell the world, whether I wanted him to or not. Not, probably. Blakbeetle had said she wanted to tell Brass. Why her I don't know.  
  
Once we all gathered, Blakbeetle and I pulled Rokusho and Brass aside to tell them. They just thought it was weird, before we told them.  
  
"I'm so happy for you, Blakbeetle!" Brass exclaimed after Blakbeetle told her the news. She threw her arms around Blakbeetle happily, and I just stared.  
  
"Thank you!" Blakbeetle returned with a nervous giggle as she returned the hug. I shook my head and turned to a happy-looking Rokusho.  
  
"You won't do that, will you?" I asked hopefully.  
  
"No, but I will say 'congratulations!'" Rokusho returned. "Who all knows?"  
  
"Of course Blakbeetle and I know, and so does Zuru and Tyrelbeetle. Now you and Brass, but that's all. Keep it secret, will ya'?"  
  
"Sure!" He nodded happily. "I don't know why, but sure!" I sighed. Everyone seemed so excited about us becoming something of a couple. I don't know why. But it's the main reason I'm not telling everyone, other than some of my friends can't keep a secret to save their life (cough-Metabee-cough-cough).  
  
"Brass!" Everyone turned at the young girl's voice, to see Erika running up to Brass. It was odd that she didn't have a pen or pencil, paper, or camera in hand. 'Probably in her pocket.' I told myself. "Guess what, Brass! Ikki invited all of us over for a movie night party!" Slowly, Ikki and Zuru appeared behind the excited girl.  
  
"Yeah, you're all invited. It was Metabee's idea, though. Where is that bag-of-bolts, anyway?" Ikki added, looking around for his medabot.  
  
"Who are you calling a bag-of-bolts, huh?" Metabee shouted back, running up behind Ikki and tapping him on the back.  
  
"The same one that's a late-Kabuto," Ikki returned, turning to Metabee and pointing at him. Everyone else stared.  
  
"I'll show you 'late'!" They continued bickering, while I stepped closer to Zuru and asked, "By 'everyone', who all does she mean?"  
  
"Uh, you, Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, Brass, Erika, Rokusho, me, and of course Ikki and Metabee. I think that's all," he returned.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"And I think I'm stuck with bringing food. Erika's stuck with the drinks, and Ikki and Metabee provide the time, place, and movie. You don't mind if we bring a few cans of oil along from our stash, do you?"  
  
"Not at all. I'm too sick to drink any, and Blakbeetle and Tyrelbeetle don't drink it that often. In fact," I blushed at the memory, before I continued, "Blakbeetle had her first taste of oil yesterday."  
  
"Ok, then. Let's go on home. I've got food to prepare." I nodded at this, then motioned for Tyrelbeetle and Blakbeetle to follow as Zuru and I headed for the school gates, leaving Ikki and Metabee fighting, and Erika and Brass trying to calm them down.  
  
On the walk home, I asked, "What time is it?", "What movie are we watching?", and "What food are you bringing?"  
  
Zuru answered, "Six o' clock, dinner time or so.", "Some sappy, black-and-white, old-fashioned film that Metabee picked out after hearing Brass liked it.", and "Uh, party and dinner kinds of food. It's a movie-and-dinner kind of thing." I nodded at his answers, then clutched a hand over my stomach, feeling the signs of vomiting. 'Not here, not now!' As I said before, it's not a good time to vomit when people are around! I needed to get away. Then I saw my answer. The turnoff for the back-way home up ahead.  
  
"Zu-Zu?" I noticed Blakbeetle look at me funny, but I continued, "Can I take the back road? I'm in the mood for a scenic route," I made up an excuse.  
  
"Oh, sure. I can't, though. I've got to get home to make the food in time," Zuru returned.  
  
"I'll stick with ya'. I can help!" Tyrelbeetle chimed in. Zuru looked sideways back at him and snorted, with an 'as if!' expression. I giggled at this, but groaned quietly when my stomach ached. Sadly, Blakbeetle noticed, and turned to Zuru.  
  
"Can I go with Roks, please?" she requested, causing me to hold my breath and shake my head 'no' towards Zuru, hoping he would notice. He didn't, and answered, "Sure. Have fun!" I sighed. I couldn't object to it without someone thinking it was odd. I didn't want that. But Blakbeetle can't come! I mean, on some level I was glad to get to go the scenic route with my 'girlfriend', but not for the reason I wanted to go in the first place.  
  
As we approached the turnoff, Blakbeetle noticed me slowing down, gripping my stomach, head bowed and wincing, and grabbed my arm, pulling me down the back road and waving 'goodbye' and 'see ya' to Zuru and Tyrelbeetle.  
  
We walked slowly down the back road. I was a few paces behind Blakbeetle, looking around occasionally for somewhere to go to get away from Blakbeetle. Eventually, Beebe, I mean, Blakbeetle turned to me and asked, "Is your stomach alright?"  
  
"No. I think I might vomit," I admitted, stopping and dropping to my knees. I held my breath, hoping I wouldn't. Blakbeetle just stood there, staring at me sympathetically. After a moment, she kneeled down.  
  
"Then why don't you?" she asked, cupping her hand on the side of my face.  
  
"I don't control it. My body decides when and all. I just have to cope with it, sadly. It's painful-- " I returned, but as I left off, I vomited. It was more painful than ever. I was definitely losing too much oil. Like a human loses too much blood, medabots lose too much oil-blood and have the same reaction. It's strange. If humans are low on blood, they get cold, tired, and weak, right? The same happens to medabots and kilobots when they're low on oil-blood. Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, and Zuru seemed to notice the 'tired and weak' part, but as Blakbeetle kept her hand on the side of my face while I vomited, then wiped oil from my mouth, she seemed to notice the 'cold' part.  
  
"Why are you cold?" she asked.  
  
"Not enough oil in my systems-- " I vomited again, this time groaning painfully. Blakbeetle wiped the oil from my mouth with her thumb again, then pulled me into a sympathetic hug. She was…crying? Yes, she was crying over my illness.  
  
"Please, be ok!" she pleaded, wailing and pulling me closer and tighter. I clutched my stomach, but the pain slowly faded as I leaned into the hug, her tears hitting and running down the back of my head.  
  
"Something tells me I'll be fine--with you." Why was I feeling better in her hug? Just something about it? Or her? Or us? Us. That's it. It has something to do with 'us'. Love? That's what I'm betting on.  
  
A little while later, Beebe--UGH!--BLAKBEETLE and I finally returned home. We stepped in and immediately smelled some yummy food. Makes me wish I could eat human food without--well, you know. Blakbeetle and I stepped into a warm kitchen to find a few different foods were lining the tables. There was a bag of candy, some meatballs, cheese crackers in a bag, and trail mix. It was all in bags, and Zuru was stuffing all of it in a bigger bag.  
  
"Hey, what took ya'? We've been waiting for you to make the applesauce!" Tyrelbeetle joked, laughing. As Zuru walked back to the counter for a bigger bag, he rapped him over the head, making my bro--partner grip his head and say, "Oww-hey!" I giggled slightly, finally learning not to giggle too much or my stomach will ache.  
  
"I don't think that was nice, Tyrelbeetle." I stared at Kuro-Kochu--uh, Blakbeetle, wondering why she defended me like that…she was defending me, right?  
  
Later, the four of us arrived at Ikki's and Metabee's. Zuru rung the doorbell, and soon thereafter, the door swung open, and in it stood Ikki and Metabee.  
  
"Hey, come on in! Bring food, Zuru?" Ikki piped cheerily. Zuru nodded, and the four of us filed through the door. Once in, we all saw that Erika, Ikki, Brass, Metabee, Zuru, Blakbeetle, Tyrelbeetle, and I were not the only ones invited. Ginkai, Arc-Dash, and Rokusho were all there. Almost immediately, all the humans had plates with food piled on them in their hands…and mouth. Rokusho? Rokusho…has food? Yes, my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, Rokusho had a plate with food on it in his hand, though he was eating politely. All of us medabots gathered around him where he sat on the chair by the couch, and he stopped eating, looking around at us uncomfortably.  
  
"Uh, can I help you?" he asked. All of us blinked, and looked closer. I was the one who spoke up.  
  
"Why are you eating?" Everyone looked to me and nodded in agreement, and then looked back to Rokusho.  
  
"Oh, your medafighters haven't told you yet? Well, the professor is trying a new upgrade he designed and installed in me two days ago. This is the second time I've eaten…well, it would be if you would leave me alone. I had dinner with Hushi last night, and now I'd like to eat again…"  
  
"Wow! Uh, sorry…" Metabee apologized, backing away. Whispering, everyone else spread out, but, because of my stomach, I needed to sit down, so I sat in the chair beside Rokusho with my legs crossed and holding my stomach.  
  
"Are you feeling alright?" Rokusho asked politely after a pause. I nodded in reply. But I lied again, so I decided to tell the truth.  
  
"No. I don't want to lie about it again--I'm feeling terrible." I groaned and gripped my stomach tighter, cringing and buckling forward in pain. This evidently worried Rokusho. He quickly sat his plate down on the table between his chair and the couch, chewing and swallowing his last bite, and kneeled down in front of me with a hand on my shoulder.  
  
"How exactly did you eat that applesauce?"  
  
"I--lost my balance, tripped forward, tipped the bowl, and threw apple sauce on my face--" I groaned again and fell out of my chair and onto my knees on the ground as the chair slid back a little. Crossing my arms over my stomach tightly, I leaned on Rokusho face first on his shoulder.  
  
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Rokusho asked quietly, rubbing my back with his other hand on my arms over my stomach.  
  
"I wish…Nnnngg--" Blackness.  
  
"--happened?" I barely heard a young-sounding boy's voice finish.  
  
"I don't know! His stomach started hurting, and I wanted to help! But he passed out before I could do anything!" came a worried, while still low and elegant (like mine), voice in return.  
  
"That happened after he threw up the first time!" this one sounded like the average-Joe male. The voices sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. They must know me, because I guess they're talking about me.  
  
Next, I heard the quiet groaning of two females, one human and the other medabot, then a gasp.  
  
"I think he's waking up!" announced the girl medabot.  
  
"Roks? Roks! Are you ok?" asked the average-Joe voice and the young-sounding boy's voice simultaneously.  
  
"Roks?" this one sounded male, and hard to describe. He sounded worried, which I somehow thought didn't fit the personality as I knew it, though I didn't know who's personality I was thinking of. It was almost…comforting to hear worry in that voice. This voice giggled slightly. Did he see something funny about me? "Yo, man! What happened? Are you ok?" asked the voice, the worry clinging on though he obviously tried to disguise it.  
  
"What he said…uhh…asked!" another voice, this one I seem to relate to the last, stated. I groaned, trying to get some sight. Nothing showed up in my visual field. Were my eyes open? I asked aloud, "Are my eyes open?"  
  
"Uh, yeah…" answered the hard-to-describe-male voice.  
  
"Well, I can't see anything. Who am I talking to?"  
  
"Hello?! Metabee speaking!" the hard-to-describe-male voice returned.  
  
"Your medafighter, Roks, Zuru. What do you mean you can't see anything?" that would be the young-sounding boy's voice.  
  
"Exactly what I said! I think something happened to my visual sensors…or…something…maybe my mom knows…" What did I just say?!  
  
"Huh?" everyone gasped. I felt a metal hand on my forehead, just barely, and then the voice that sounded like mine reported, "He has a fever. I'm guessing he's delirious…uhh, I'm Rokusho."  
  
"A fever?" the average-joe voice repeated. Then he said, "Oh, I'm Tyrelbeetle."  
  
"Ikki, and I know I'm agreeing a lot with what others say, but…what he said…asked…said…yeah, asked," agreed the voice I related to what turned out to be Metabee.  
  
"I know I haven't said anything yet, but I'm Ginkai. Arc-Dash is here, too," guess who said that!  
  
"Well, medabots get fevers too. Their systems can overheat trying to do something internal or external…I guess Roks' systems are trying to get rid of that apple sauce," Rokusho explained. At that, something clicked. Not literally, I mean something suddenly made sense.  
  
"Metabee," I began, "Are you worried? Well, at least, were you?"  
  
"Uhh, yeah…" he started to whisper, "I say that partially out of fear of, if I don't admit, Rokusho's gonna' attack me again!"  
  
"That virus is gone, Metabee!"  
  
"Yeah, but still…"  
  
"I heard that," Rokusho interjected.  
  
"Roks," Ikki began, "Hurry and get your sight back! We should have started the movie by now!"  
  
"It's not like I know how to work my vision!" At that, I heard all the medabots say, "Hmm…" thoughtfully, and obviously start to think.  
  
"True…" Metabee began.  
  
"That does usually work by will…" Rokusho said next.  
  
"We don't have to mentally make it happen, like pushing a button or anything…" Tyrelbeetle added.  
  
"Don't we--you have the schematics or something? Maybe it'll tell ya' how to do it manually there," Arc-Dash spoke up.  
  
"Even if I did, I can't call it up. I can't see my own readouts or settings or mode symbol…or anything," I responded.  
  
"But you don't want to be blind during the movie. There's got to be a way…the movie's s'posed to be good! I'm Blakbeetle, by the way," Blakbeetle, obviously, chimed in. I think she was repeating what someone else had said about the movie…for one, I don't think it'll be that good, in my opinion; Blakbeetle doesn't seem to be the type that would like what I heard the movie was going to be, and Brass likes it, so since Blakbeetle seems to be good friends with Brass, she'd take her word for it… blinding light!  
  
"Hey, who turned on the lights?!" I shouted. I could see just light, and the readouts, et cetera, were back. I felt myself wince as the light increased and decreased to the level of sound on my words.  
  
"Uh, no one, it's the same lighting as it has been for the last…uhh…twenty minutes or so," Zuru answered.  
  
"I feel like I'm staring at a lit-up light bulb!" I tried to close my eyes. I didn't know if they were closed or not, but if they were, it didn't help. The light was on the inside. A sudden shooting pain throughout my body and systems…that wouldn't let up. Throbbing…nausea…and I thought robattles, medafights, and fights were painful! The light faded. Not all the way to the blackness again, more like a silvery color illuminating my field of vision. I whined, "Ahh…Zuru…Z-Zu-Zu! Help…make it stop!"  
  
"Make what stop, Roks?" Zuru returned worriedly.  
  
"Zu-Zu?" I heard a few different people and 'bots question my nickname for Zuru… I know I heard Blakbeetle in there.  
  
"It hurts…"  
  
"What hurts? …Roks?" Zuru went on.  
  
"My body--systems--a-above all--my-my stomach! AHH!" I screamed, which faded to a groan, and slowly turned to sobbing without tears. I heard hydraulics, and eventually a cold wetness touched my face.  
  
"Good idea, Rokusho," I heard Zuru complement. More hydraulics, then the quiet, nearly undetectable movement of the soft fabric of clothing, and breathing near my head…human breathing… Slowly, I was wrapped in the soft, comforting, warm embrace of my master…my medafighter…my very best friend…, "Zu-Zu…" Green. In my field of vision was green, with the texture of fabric…Zuru's shirt. I saw the readouts, et cetera, and all my senses were working…ok, not the best, but ok. My pain, nausea, throbbing, and so on, faded into the comforting, soft warmth.  
  
"Thank you…" I uttered, and I felt Zuru pull away. I was disappointed. I didn't want the embrace to end…itsumo…  
  
We were finally watching the movie. By now, we were kind of at the beginning of the climax. I had lost interest as soon as I saw it was black-and-white. After that vision incident earlier, I'd prefer color, modern, et cetera. All the girls were crying, Ginkai and Arc-Dash were oddly into it, but the rest of the boys were obviously bored. Well, Metabee pretended to be interested for Brass, and the movie was soap opera-like, but other than that… The strangest thing was, and what I couldn't take my eyes off, were Brass and Blakbeetle. I watched and listened in on them.  
  
Blakbeetle was crying, but she didn't understand why. It was a happy moment in the movie, not sad. Brass was attempting to explain.  
  
"Why am I crying if this is good?" Blakbeetle whispered to Brass.  
  
"Tears of joy!" Brass replied, also whispering and crying.  
  
"That doesn't make since!"  
  
"You're so happy, you cry! Besides, you're not crying that hard, and neither am I. You'll understand someday."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
The two slowly returned to the movie as the strangest thought crossed my mind. I leaned back, let my master put his arm around my shoulders, and leaned my head on his shoulder. I started to think about that thought, pretending to be interested in the movie.  
  
What if I was taking advantage of her? She knew so little, she may not know what it means for us to become an official couple. What if she doesn't understand, and is just playing along, thinking what I'm doing is right, like back in our room when we woke up? What if I like her, but she really doesn't like me back? She didn't even know what she said about liking me too meant…did she? What if what she said was true? What if I were to end our relationship, just to make sure I wasn't taking advantage of her? How would she react? Would she know what I was doing? Would I break her heart? I don't want to hurt her! I love her! …that's all I need, right? Does she love me back? Could I love someone who didn't love me? Doesn't seem possible, but…I'm so confused! What do I do? Am I taking advantage of her? Please, no!  
  
I turned my head and buried it in Zuru's shoulder, crying slightly…Zuru hugged me slightly and sideways to comfort me. It didn't help much, but a comforting hug from Zuru is just that… He seemed a little worried, though. But during the movie he wasn't going to ask, and besides, I didn't want to answer. I guess he somehow knew that…but how?  
  
"What was wrong?" Zuru asked, shutting the fridge, taking what he had gotten out, and sitting it on the counter.  
  
He had dragged me downstairs with him for a bedtime snack and a chance to talk without Tyrelbeetle or Blakbeetle there. And I was glad he had thought to ask me what was wrong when we were alone together.  
  
"N-nothing…" I answered shakily, sitting in a barstool-like chair in the kitchen (same one as always), my arms crossed on the table and resting my chin on them.  
  
"You've been lying about yourself a lot lately, so I'm not about to believe that," Zuru returned as he hopped up in the seat next to me, his white-paper plate (with food on it of course) on the bar-like table in front of him.  
  
"It's just…I had the strangest thought during that movie…I, uh, overheard and watched Brass and Blakbeetle…" I began admitting. Zuru noticed my pause, and mentioned something off the subject, "Erika says they've become like girlfriends! Well, that's what she said at least."  
  
"Yeah, I noticed they seem to be good friends. That explains why Blakbeetle wanted to tell Brass about us…"  
  
"Go on, sorry to interrupt."  
  
"Ugh…uh, Blakbeetle just seems to know so little…I mean I had to tell her what 'promise' meant, and Brass explained…uh, tried to explain why they were crying about something good." Notice I left out having to explain what 'love' meant.  
  
"So? She is a kilobot, and she has been with Kam for a long time…"  
  
"I wonder what he's up to. He hasn't bothered us for a few days now!"  
  
"His lackeys have."  
  
"But we don't know if they were sent to do that by Kam…well, actually, we kinda' do, don't we? He gave them those upgrades, after all."  
  
"Yes, but we can't worry about that at the moment. Go on. I can tell you would rather change the subject, but don't."  
  
"Ok, ok…I'm just worried I might be taking advantage of her. G'night." I turned in my seat and started to slip out and leave, when Zuru grabbed my shoulder, swallowing a bite of his snack.  
  
"Taking advantage of her…?" he questioned.  
  
"Yeah, that's all." I continued to leave, when Zuru shouted, "Roks, stop!", just quietly enough not to wake the entire household. I took what he said as an order, and stopped in my tracks. I can't even slightly disobey him…I should've thought that would be my downfall one day!  
  
"How would you be taking advantage of her?"  
  
"She doesn't understand what it means for us to 'like' each other!" I returned, reeling around with tears welling up in my eyes, "I know I like her, but she doesn't know what that means! She agreed that she liked me, but what if she really doesn't and can't tell? What if she's just playing along, doing what I do, thinking that what I do is right?" I finally broke down crying, dropping to my knees, "I don't want to hurt her…she might even like someone else, and now she's stuck with me! I could ruin her entire life…just because she can't understand, and I'm too selfish to…to…make sure this is what she wants, deep down inside…"  
  
"You're not selfish, Roks. I know you're not." I felt Zuru's hands on my upper arms, and looked up to see Zuru staring into my eyes, a warm, comforting smile plastered on his face…  
  
"You've been doing that a lot lately…"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Comforting me…"  
  
"Because you need it. I don't know how I can help, but I'll try. I don't want to hurt her, either. Mainly because if she was in pain, so would you be."  
  
"That's true. How am I supposed to tell, though? She doesn't understand, so she can't tell me what she's feeling. I could explain to her, but I wouldn't know what to explain, and not even I could explain everything…for several different reasons."  
  
"Just ask her. Maybe she can tell you, based on what you've already explained. Didn't you explain what love meant, too?"  
  
"Yeah, how'd you guess?"  
  
"I overheard you two talking that night."  
  
"Oh, we woke you up…sorry."  
  
"It was a good thing…it is a good thing. I believe she really does love you, even if she doesn't understand. You love her, and she loves you."  
  
"I'd like to believe that."  
  
"What's stopping you?"  
  
"I don't really understand, either…we're 'bots. How can we love, anyway?"

Dokey okey! Ya' likey? Plz R&R! (Don't forget to answer my 'OC-OOC' question)


	4. Worry and Fear

Chapter III: Worry and Fear  
  
I woke up the next morning feeling worse than ever…in every way possible. I had needed my sleep, and had gotten barely any. I felt to sick to sit up, and my troubles from the night before pounded at my tin heart. Then I noticed something different. The ceiling…where was the light? I looked to my left, and saw…blackness. I felt like my face was smothered in soft fabric…and it was. I looked to my right, now in a panic, and saw the coffee table and TV…then I realized it. I was in our living room. I calmed down, and saw Zuru coming downstairs.  
  
"Z-Zu-Zu, what happened? Did I-I fall asleep here?" I asked him weakly. He stopped at my feet and shook his head, "No, you didn't. I carried you down. You were obviously too hot in those covers, and I'm sure you don't want to spend all day in bed…so spend all day on the couch!"  
  
"Ok, uh, thanks. Where's Tyrelbeetle?"  
  
"You called?" came Tyrelbeetle's voice. I felt his hands on my head and looked back at him. He smiled down at me.  
  
"How're you feeling?" he asked politely. I nodded, "Bad. Worse than last night."  
  
"What about your troubles?"  
  
"Same. Wait, how do you know?" then it hit me, "Zuru! You told him?" I sat bolt upright angrily, but cringed and fell backwards when my stomach ached. I heard the two sigh at my condition, then Zuru answered, "Yes, I told him. Blakbeetle doesn't know, but it's better to tell everyone we can so we don't have to worry about keeping a secret. People and 'bots will know and pester ya' till you tell them anyway!" He giggled, kneeling by my side as he spoke.  
  
"As long as no one tells Blakbeetle…nnnggg…" I closed my eyes, groaning quietly, and felt Zuru give me a brotherly kiss on the forehead, whispering, "You'll be alright," as he pulled away. I smiled meekly.  
  
"Tyrelbeetle? Stay and take care of him, will ya'?" he added as he stood, looking to my…brother…might as well accept that…can't get it out of my mind.  
  
"O-o-of course!" Tyrelbeetle sang slightly in response. Zuru nodded and left, stopping only briefly to pop his shoes on and grab his backpack off the hangers on the wall, "Take care, see ya' later!"  
  
I looked up at Tyrelbeetle as I heard the door shut behind my medafighter.  
  
"T-Tyrelbeetle," I began. He nodded, ushering me to continue, "What do you think of me as?"  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, his hands still on my head. I reached up and held his hands lightly.  
  
"I mean, ugh…" I can admit, right? I did to Blakbeetle, and look what I got out of that! …troubles. But it shouldn't have the same outcome as admitting to Tyrelbeetle.  
  
"I can't get it out of my mind."  
  
"What's that?" he returned.  
  
"You! Do you think it's possible for medabots to think of each other as…siblings?"  
  
"Are you saying you think the same as me?!"  
  
"Maybe…what are you thinking?"  
  
"Uh…let's just say I'm afraid that if I'm not careful I'll start referring to you as 'brother'."  
  
"Then we are thinking the same thing! I can't get it out of my mind…thinking that you're my brother."  
  
---------------------------  
  
"Coming, coming!" Blakbeetle shouted as she rushed down the stairs from our room. She stopped by the couch where Tyrelbeetle was sitting with me leaning on his shoulder, my feet on the couch and hands over my stomach.  
  
"You want to come?" she asked us.  
  
"Come where?" Tyrelbeetle asked back.  
  
"Zuru called me over the medawatch. He said we have a robattle challenge from Suzy and Ambiguous-Two!"  
  
"Who-who's we?" I spoke up feebly. Blakbeetle looked to me, a blush illuminating her cheeks. I broke my gaze from her and looked down sadly. I felt her curious and half-worried expression dig into the side of my face. But she answered my question instead of questioning me.  
  
"Brass and me!"  
  
"Why?" both Tyrelbeetle and I asked (again) simultaneously.  
  
"I don't know, but Zuru's my medafighter…for the first time!" She seemed to force her enthusiasm.  
  
"Erika's Brass's, right?" Tyrelbeetle replied.  
  
"As always. We're tag-teaming against Suzy and Ambiguous-Two, want to go?"  
  
"Uh, uhm…sure," Tyrelbeetle and I answered in unison. So we went, with my arms over both Tyrelbeetle's and Blakbeetle's shoulders for balance.  
  
Once we got there, I ran over to Zuru, who was poised for robattle, and latched onto his waist.  
  
"Roks, are you ok?" he asked, rubbing my back with both hands.  
  
"No better than this morning," I answered.  
  
"You don't mind watching, do you?"  
  
"Blakbeetle and Brass robattling? I wouldn't miss that--" I suddenly broke down coughing… coughing up oil, too. Tyrelbeetle ran up to me to assist, and he led me back to the wall where the spectators sat, Zuru patting my back one last time and letting me leave with Tyrelbeetle after 'get well' wishes.  
  
Tyrelbeetle sat me down against the wall, and then sat down next to me, letting me lean on him, and wrapping his arms around me.  
  
The robattle began.  
  
"You know," I began to Tyrelbeetle, "Zu-Zu is probably used to close-range attacks with kuwagata, and Blakbeetle's most definitely a long-range kabuto kilobot."  
  
"Good point. This should be interesting…" he answered, and we watched the robattle. With a command from Erika, Brass powered her Short Shot while Blakbeetle nimbly covered for her, dodging shots from the jewel beetle kilobot swiftly, and then returning the shots.  
  
"Blakbeetle, something familiar: Action mode and get behind him!" Zuru shouted to Blakbeetle with a small giggle.  
  
"Familiar, I'd say," Blakbeetle remarked once transformed and motoring around the MWB-type. She jumped back into normal mode once she was behind Ambiguous-Two and fired missiles at his back. I smiled at her success.  
  
"Ok, good job. We need you to keep him in the line of fire for Brass," Zuru whispered into the medawatch. Blakbeetle nodded and ran to Ambiguous-Two's left side, firing a barrage of lasers from both barrels and missiles, 'Laser Barrage'.  
  
"SHORT SHOT!" Brass cried out as she let the pinkish-red energy ball at the end of her right-arm barrel loose. It connected with the MWB-beetle's chest and exploded on impact, Blakbeetle flipping away from the explosion just in time. Ambiguous-Two staggered backwards as the smoke and dust cleared, only to be caught in another barrage of lasers and missiles, this time from both of his opponents. Another cloud of smoke and dust formed around where he stood, and eventually the girls stopped firing. The cloud cleared. There was a brown burn spot on the ground, but no Ambiguous-Two.  
  
"Where'd he go?" The girls' medafighters demanded. A flash and a hard punch to the back caught my Beebe off guard, and she stumbled forward. Regaining her balance, she looked behind her to see what hit her, but was punched in the face. I gasped and strained to hear Zuru's medawatch information.  
  
Head--sixty percent damage. Warning. Optical shutdown. I winced as I forced myself to look at Blakbeetle. She was on her knees on the ground, bracing herself up with her arms, and head bowed, as Ambiguous-Two punched her mercilessly, and strangely quite fast and nimbly. He didn't stand in one spot, but ran around her in flashes. With every punch, I cringed with Beebe. Trying to get my focus off the punches, I looked closely at Blakbeetle's face to see the damage the jewel beetle inflicted. Her visor was cracked in the shape of a lightning bolt from the top left corner and down to meet the 'patch' over her other eye. The front middle of her visor, right where the punch hit, was dented in like a crater, and her muzzle bent in an odd fashion, pulling back just enough on either side to show her mouth. Her teeth were gritted tightly through the pain.  
  
I heard Zuru mumble something, and refocused my attention to the rest of the battle. Blakbeetle raised her head and fired her missiles, timing them to explode within a foot radius. As they exploded, Blakbeetle jumped away. In time? I don't know. Ambiguous-Two went flying away from her, landing at Suzy's feet. Then I saw Blakbeetle, on her back and struggling to get up. I heard the damage reports from the medawatch as Brass ran after Ambiguous-Two with a command from Erika.  
  
Head Arrangement--twenty percent damage--eighty percent damaged. Ballister Cannons offline. Right arm--thirty percent damage. Left arm--twenty-eight percent damage. Legs--fifteen percent damage. I winced again with a small moan. Beebe now had at least some damage on every part.  
  
As Brass and Ambiguous-Two had a shoot-off, I heard Suzy groan and say, "Those speed upgrades are supposed to make him untouchable! Kam promised!"  
  
'More upgrades from Kam, huh? Why now? What's he up to? First power upgrades, now speed, and we haven't seen hide or hair of Kam himself!' I clutched my stomach as it painfully lurched, gripping Tyrelbeetle's upper arm, and my head began to throb. My vision faded to fuzz, then back again, then to fuzz, and so on. My entire body started shaking as I saw triple in the moments my vision wasn't fuzz. I could faintly feel Tyrelbeetle pull me closer worriedly, whispering, "Roks?!" Well, I bet he didn't whisper it, but that's how I heard it. Tears of pain streaked down my face as I sobbed quietly, pressing my head against Tyrelbeetle's chest. I tried to hang on in my mind, latching on to Tyrelbeetle and hanging on externally, but the darkness tugged at me. I felt like elastic, being stretched one way while the rest of me hung on to where I was. I wanted to see how the robattle ended. I wanted to see…my--girl…win.  
  
I sat up suddenly with a scream, but fell back onto the red-planked bench when my nausea, weakness, and dizziness came back to me. I squeezed my eyes shut. But they popped open, acknowledging the 'bench' part. I jerked my head to my right to see Brass and Blakbeetle, both severally damaged but ok, along with Tyrelbeetle, Zu-Zu, Erika, Ikki, Metabee (Ikki and Metabee with an uncharacteristically worried expression, just as everyone else, but it was strange on them), Ginkai, and Arc-Dash. As I looked around to see where I was, I breathed heavily and fast. I was hyperventilating. I found I was across the road from Miss Nae's workshop.  
  
"Wha-what happened?! What's going on? What am I doing here?!" I exclaimed, sounding terribly scared out of my mind, which I was.  
  
"Roks! Calm down, buddy! Relax! It's ok!" Zuru soothed, pulling me into one of his wonderful warm embraces. I calmed my breathing as best I could. "It's ok, it's ok. Ok…you just fainted. We brought you here as soon as we could. Everything's gonna' be alright, bud."  
  
"Z-Zu-Zu, I honestly don't remember fainting…did I?" I returned quietly.  
  
"Yes, you did. But you're ok…" Zuru answered.  
  
"Good. He's alive. We can go now, Arc-Dash," I heard Ginkai say, but it was outside of this hug, so it didn't matter. I heard him and Arc-Dash leave. I heard Miss Nae call for Brass and Blakbeetle to fix them. I heard them reluctantly leave. I heard Erika, Ikki and Metabee go with to help. None of it mattered at the moment. Then I heard Tyrelbeetle leave and come back, followed by him wrapping me in a warm wool blanket and hugging me from behind. Zuru whispered something in my sound receptor that sounded like, "We all know what you said about there being nothing anyone can do, and it's up to your systems to work it out now, to be true, but maybe there's something Miss Nae, of all people, can do to at least ease the symptoms." I nodded feebly, and then took a nap in the arms of two of my three favorite people and 'bots. But before I fell asleep, I asked, "How'd the battle go?" I heard them answer in unison.  
  
"Your girl won."  
  
Later, we returned home, finally. Blakbeetle and Brass were repaired, but Miss Nae looked me over and couldn't do anything. She just said to take it easy and let my systems relax. But she wasn't even sure of that. But I was doing it anyway, lying on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. I felt worse. I could barely breathe, and I felt pure, throbbing pain in my stomach, mixed with nausea. My head hurt, as if my horns were on too tight. I was overheating. Either Blakbeetle or Tyrelbeetle had put a cool, wet cloth on my forehead to try to bring down my temperature, but it wasn't working too well. Finally, Zuru brought me out of my daze by shaking me lightly and saying, "It's ready. C'mon. I'll help you up." I allowed him to help me up and upstairs. I was rather helpless, actually. He brought me to the bathroom. The bathtub was full of warm, while still cool, water mixed evenly with a cleaning and/or system-flushing solution. It's supposed to flush out my systems, though the solution has a history of not working. But we were desperate to get me feeling better. Zuru, Tyrelbeetle, and Blakbeetle helped me in, and Zuru held my head, carefully laying me back in the tub. He took my hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. Strangely enough, as the solution soaked in, it started hurting my systems even more. Zuru had predicted that, and when I told him his prediction came true, he said I shouldn't worry about it. It's just flushing out my systems…supposedly. I sunk down deeper, eyes closed, hoping it would end soon. I felt something lightly touch my forehead, and opened my eyes to find Zuru had given me another brotherly kiss, and was now laying a cool rag on my forehead. I smiled at him weakly. He splashed some of the solution on my arm he was holding out of the water. I closed my eyes and relaxed as the pain turned to a massaging, numb sensation. It actually felt good. I felt a thump in my stomach, and my eyes popped open as I started coughing, as if I was choking on something. I pulled my hand from Zuru's and clutched it over my chest. If this was what I thought it was, it didn't hurt as much as usual. It must have something to do with the solution, I thought. I held my breath. A moment later, I leaned over the edge of the tub and vomited. Oil. Just oil. The solution hadn't pushed the applesauce (don't say that everyday) out of me. I felt metal hands on my neck, the thumbs rubbing my neck softly. Then I felt that 'whoever's head lean face-first on mine. I looked up cautiously to see it was Blakbeetle! I smiled, but then vomited again. Zuru patted my back, but I could tell he didn't want to disturb Blakbeetle in her position. I didn't want him to disturb her, either. Despite my troubles, I like being with her and around her. I guess that's what love is.  
  
Not too much later, I was sitting shivering in a ball right outside the bathroom, Zuru frantically trying to dry me. I leaned on him as he wrapped his arms around me to dry my opposite side.  
  
"I'm so-so cold…" I uttered through shivers. I felt him acknowledge that by pulling me closer, rubbing my side through the towel. I couldn't help but smile slightly.  
  
Once dry, he and my girl and brother helped me into bed. There was definitely more covers for me that night. But the cold was on the inside, so it didn't help much.  
  
I could tell Tyrelbeetle and Zuru wanted to leave Blakbeetle and me alone together. Zuru went to do his homework. An acceptable excuse. But Tyrelbeetle helping with dinner? A little to obvious…but I didn't care. I liked it, and wanted to rest.  
  
I curled into a ball under the covers, shivering like mad. I pulled the covers over my head. Yeah, that helped…it only made it harder to breathe, so I uncovered my head.  
  
Why did I swallow that applesauce?! I could have spit it out easily, right?! I'm so stupid--no. I'm not gonna' start thinking like that! But I am…no! It's all my fault I'm putting myself and friends and girlfriend and brothers through this! Brother-S? Plural? Zuru, a human, my, a medabot, brother?! What am I getting myself into?! This is messing up my systems more than I thought. …Then again, hints of those new relations--like brother and girlfriend--have been showing through for longer than I've been sick. I told Blakbeetle, now Tyrelbeetle, but what would Zuru do if I told him? He's a human, and I'm a medabot! I'm inferior! He's my master! …right? Or are we equal? Can I think of him as my brother? Or am I superior? …that's wrong, as in 'bad', thinking, but…no, a robot is not superior to humans because humans created us. But some humans are smarter than others, and the smarter ones created us. But Zuru is a smarter one. But is he my brother, too? Like Tyrelbeetle? Are we equal in this sense, at least? Can I be better than what I always thought of myself as? …what? What did I always think like? That I'm no good compared to Zuru…or anyone for that matter? Now that I think about it, which is a strange thing for me (there's a hint…), I did always put myself down…  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------Flashback----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"From this day on," Zuru, as the Mystery Medafighter, began telling me the heartbreaking news, standing facing each other on the bridge over the busy road, at night in the equally busy town (equally?), "I will have no further need for you." …what? Did he just do what I thought he did? I wanted to lash out. I wanted to object. But most of all, I wanted to cry. But not in front of him. I can't do any of that in front of him. It was his wish for that…that. I'll just leave it at 'that'. I don't know what to call it. He knows what's better for me…what's better for us. This is better. Somehow, someway, that I don't see, this is better. He wants what is better for me…right? He cares about me. He does! He really does! …No! He doesn't! …Yes, he does! He would only do what is better. …He treats me like an object. A kilobot-killer object. He uses me to no extent. Why should I care if he aban--no! Don't say it! It's for the better. I know it. He didn't 'abandon' me, he just…what did he do then? TELL ME!  
  
"Whatever you wish,"--a silent, shadowed tear rolled down my face, going easily unnoticed--"Master…" He took off his medawatch and handed it to me.  
  
"Goodbye," with that, he turned and left the bridge, leaving me alone, with nothing and no one, in the middle of the bridge.  
  
"Y-yes Master…" I'm not going to run after him! It's his wish. Who am I to object?! I'm just a robot, a toy. A toy for destruction in this case. I guess it is better. I'm not just a pawn, a toy for destruction, an object, anymore. …I'm not even a 'he'. What's good in being an 'it'?  
  
"…but it's his wish."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------End Flashback--------------------------------------------------------------  
  
To add to my shivers, I started sobbing, as quietly as I could, but I cried. Blakbeetle, sitting on the edge of the bed next to me, noticed.  
  
"Wha-what's wrong?" she asked worriedly. I looked up at her. I shook my head, trying to shake the thoughts out of my mind. It didn't help, though. The memories hung with me. Does he still think of me as an object? He seems to have gotten over that, but…there were times in the past that he seemed to have gotten over that, but turned around and did it again. I had to say something. If he really cares…I don't know…  
  
"Z-Zu-Zu? Can w-we talk, please?" I asked quietly, looking over at Zuru at his desk. He looked back at me, immediately noting that I wasn't only shivering, but crying. As he rolled over to me in his chair, I could tell he was so worried he didn't know what to do…that's what it was, right?  
  
"What is it, buddy?" he asked quietly once Blakbeetle had gone--somewhere.  
  
"Re-remember that time you-you abandoned me for that kilobot?" I asked, tears welling up in my eyes and streaking down my face at the memory.  
  
"Sadly, yes. Why?" the black-haired-brown-eyed boy returned.  
  
"You won't ever do something like that again, like treating me like an object, right? And I want a straight answer," I added, rubbing my stomach in the lower part of my diamond-shaped torso nervously.  
  
"I-I can't give you that. I'm sorry, but I honestly don't know." He reached up and petted my metal cheek lightly, smiling at me. "But I sure hope not."  
  
"You aren't lying, right?" I asked, not expecting a truthful answer.  
  
"What can I do to make you believe me?"  
  
"I-I don't know…just don't ever do that to me I guess…"  
  
"What brings this up?"  
  
"Well, you know Tyrelbeetle and I think of each other as brothers, right? I think I'm thinking the same with you, but I don't know if it's a good thing--let's just leave it at that." I didn't want to tell him, but…something told me to…  
  
"Of course it's a good thing! I don't have any siblings, so I'd love to have one! Well, two! You and Tyrelbeetle." It's good? We can be brothers? No kidding?! YES!  
  
"…not what I was expecting. So, it's agreed?" I get an enthusiastic nod at that. "Thank you, Zu-Zu, my brother…"

I repeat my OC-OOC question! Ok, it might be awhile before chap. four, 'cause I have to write it yet! These were all pretty much finished by the time I started posting them. But I have the storyline, so I won't keep ya' waitin' too long! I know how that feels when ya' like a story (guessing you like this one according to the reviews...)! PLZ R&R (I'm beginning to think that's required...oh, and I still no own!)


	5. Part I: Troublesome Twist

Disclaimer: I no own still! See the last few chaps!

Roks: What's goin' on?  
Me: You'll see! I think you'll like the ending! Roks and Beebe sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage...  
Roks&Blakbeetle: Here we go again...

Chapter IV Part One: Troublesome Twist

It's Friday. I had nearly made it through the week. Little did I know that things would change today. For one reason or another, I am now 'brothers' with Zuru and Tyrelbeetle, and Blakbeetle and I are something of an official couple. I still didn't know how 'bots could love, or if I was taking advantage of her. Still unsure about being brothers with Zuru, about it making us equal and that not being a good thing. My 'brotherhood' with Tyrelbeetle seems to be the only steady thing. Thinking that's strange, I looked for something wrong with it. I couldn't find anything. I spent as much time with Tyrelbeetle that day to try to get rid of my troubles with my other relationships, mostly sitting on the back porch steps. But just running from problems never helps. They'll just come back stronger when I stop running from them, and I can't run forever.

"Just ask," was Tyrelbeetle's best piece of advice, "Just ask them. And believe them. I know they wouldn't lie, whether or not you believe it."

"I want to believe them. I really do. But I don't know how to know when they're lying or telling the truth. What's the trick?"

"Trust. You love them, right?"

"Right! Of course!"

"Trust is part of love." I simply nod and look down at my nervously twiddling thumbs.

"Can I trust them if they don't love me back?"

"…I don't know. I'm sure they love you back, though. Don't worry about that!"

"I'm just scared that, after Zuru's history with his dad concerning 'bots, he, at least him, will be out to get me. What if he's roping me in, pretending he cares, so it'll hurt me more when he…does whatever he's planning? What if it's all a lie? What if he's been deceiving me all this time?!" Tears formed in my eyes, slowly making their way out of my eyes and down my face as I trembled.

"Your mind works in a weird way, bro…" I hugged myself, looking down and curling into a ball. I felt his hand on my back, gently rubbing in circles. I leaned on him.

"Don't even think about what could be, think about and thrive in what is!"

"And what is?" Not even he could answer that.

Not too much later, I find myself sitting against a tree in the shade in our backyard, head bowed, eyes closed, hands clasped, and deep in thought. My internal issues seem to override the stomach issues. I'd prefer physical pain over this any day, though…

A rustle in the branches above causes me to jerk my head up, eyes opened suddenly. I see a faint figure dart out of my field of vision, and dismiss it as a squirrel or a bird or some other tree-dwelling animal. But something keeps me looking up. I let my mind wander while staring up at where I saw the figure…

'_That didn't LOOK like a squirrel…or a bird…'_ and it left the subject.

"What am I getting myself into?" I questioned myself aloud, as if I thought I would get an answer that way. But it was as good as asking myself in my mind. I sighed and broke my gaze toward the branches, but looked back up when I caught a glimpse of four circular red glows. I stared for a moment. The glows stared back. Then they disappeared as quickly as they came.

'_THAT was scary…'_ I shook my head, but heard another rustle. My eyes popped open, but I didn't look up again. It seemed that when whatever was up there noticed I noticed, it stopped what it was doing until I dismissed it and went back to whatever I was doing. I sat still, trying not to look suspicious. I felt that strange feeling in my stomach that one gets when someone's staring at him or her. I let out a sigh, but my breath catches in my throat at a series of rustles. Something was up there…something was watching me…

I hear a roar. A thud. I look up and to my left to see…myself? I'm staring into the red eyes of myself. I stare back…this could get confusing. Another appears beside him. This one mostly pink with a few white parts, disproportioned with a small body and legs, long arms, and a big, round head with the look of a Churlybear. The disproportioned Churlybear advanced on me. I was frozen in shock. My breath was caught in my throat. I couldn't scream. My stomach lurched, but I barely noticed. Next thing I know, the strange, pink Churlybear has me in his grasp and leaps away, landing on the highest branch and giving me a chance to look down at my look alike before we continued.

He sat down in my spot, in the exact same position as I was sitting. What was he doing?

The 'bear jumped off the highest branch and spread his pink, bony-bat-like wings with white ends, and we flew. I was about to object, to ask what was going on, where he was taking me, why, who…when, with a metal clank, I felt an unbearable pain in my head, I let out a short, muffled cry, but it didn't last long. I passed out.

I sat up with a scream, my head throbbing with pain, and looked around. All I could see was blackness, and a little bit of brownish where the light from my eyes hit. Looking around, I could faintly see the place I was in was small, a little bigger than a dumpster. Some sort of a dungeon-like thing. Perfectly rectangular. I didn't know how high it was or anything, I could only see my eye-level, but when I looked up it felt like I was looking down into an endless abyss. I found myself breathing heavily. My eyes were wide. My metal chest--or more like my entire torso through chain reaction--heaved with each breath.

"Where am I?!" I called to the ceiling, not expecting an answer from it, or anything else. No one else was here.

I curled into a ball. Wherever I was, I was cold. I shivered. My stomach lurched, and I started coughing. I struggled to breathe as I fell forward onto my knees, bracing myself up with my hands. My head hurt…must've been from whatever knocked me out. Oil slowly trickled from my mouth, down my chin. The only thing I could think of…I needed help. It wasn't supposed to hurt this much. It never had before. I will see to it that it never will again. I gasped for breath, and let out one word…

"Help…"

How was that? Short, I know. That's why it's part one! See part two soon! PLZ R&R! I'm gonna' start doin' review replies, so ask questions!

Next, I want to add something, seeing as it's taking so long to finish the next part (bleh! Writer's block). Couple Requests! Just review and tell me a couple you want to see a short story about!

Rules and Regulations:

Particularly an uncommon couple (as in I'd be the first to write about them, but I will acknowledge that you gave me the idea)

And, if you can, a short plot summary. Otherwise I can come up with it.

This is just to keep my fans (if I have any; not meaning to toot my own horn, but…TOOT-TOOT!!) entertained until my writer's block goes away and I can finish this story.

Also, I have named this series. I was going to list everything (just about…don' wanna' spoil it for ya'!) I know about this series at the beginning of the next part of this chap. But, I'll put it here!

Pattern--A Medabots Fanfiction Series

By: KiumuRo-Ku-Bee

1. Kuwagata Virus

2. A Rough Road

3. The Straight and Narrow

4. Confusing Complications

5. Kabuto Virus

6. Transformation

7. The New Enemies

8. Karma

'Pattern' because of the pattern: an action/adventure/suspense kinda' story (like Kuwagata Virus), and then a love and romance kinda' story (like this one, A Rough Road). 'The Straight and Narrow' will be more of the genre of K.V., and then Confusing Complications will be more like this one. Get it? Somewhere in the next chap I'll put short, spoiler-less plot and storyline reviews, if you say you want them when you participate in the Couple Requests, which you will! (Evil look) (Smile sweetly) Thankies for reading this! Arigatou to ja ne!!!


	6. Part II: Escape!

Ok. I changed something in this chap. My mom read it and said it needed something, so I changed that something. Read to find out what that 'something' is!!

HOWDY! I'm back with part two, readers! Disclaimer: Same as always, I no own!!

Now, may I direct you to Tomodachi Itsumo, a story I posted last night. That story is based in/after/during/off of my seventh book, 'The New Enemies'. It's a little preview of what is to happen. In your reviews for this one or that one, try to guess what happened for that 'near-death' experience. He has a wheelchair, Zuru comments something on it... At the beginning of the next chap, I'll say who's close and who's far off, but I won't tell you straight out.

Anyway--

Every Medabots character there ever was: On with the fic!!

That's my line!

Chapter IV Part II: Escape!

My throat burned with each cough. I felt…hot. My head hurt and my stomach ached. It was almost unbearable. Finally, I vomited. I sat there for a moment, gasping for breath. My vision faded closer to normal, yet not completely normal…I was slowly getting better! My body must've gotten the applesauce out! After a week of being sick, it's over that fast! Though I still felt the effects of it, I could tell the ever-so subtle difference. I could tell that, if I could, I'd be sweating. I was burning up. A small, weak smile crept up on me, and I lied back on my back. I yawned and fell asleep almost immediately. My systems were worn out!

I guess I woke up the next day. First thing I felt was my throbbing head, but then I noticed how well my systems were working. Well, at least compared to how they felt while I was sick. I took the chance to look around better. I noticed a strong, steel door to my right in one of the short ends of the dungeon. It had several locks. I guess whoever kidnapped me wanted to make sure I didn't get out.

How long had I been there? I guess I woke up the next day, but I don't know when I woke up the first time. A day—even a week—could have passed while I was unconscious. Who knocked me out? When was that? What if I've been here for weeks and don't know it? Zuru…Tyrelbeetle…Blakbeetle…everyone must think I'm dead! Or at lest they're worried sick! What if I am dead?! …Well, I think I'd know it if I was. But still…I could've been here a long time…

Then something caught my attention.

"Well, hello there! I see you've gotten a little better. I couldn't've timed my kidnapping better." I jerked to my left and saw a screen flicker to life in the wall opposite the door. It was Kam!

"Kam! What are you doing here? I mean…how do I see you? How do you see me?" I shouted back, hoping this was a two way connection. He giggled wholeheartedly…strange.

"I'm not there, Roks. That's one thing. You can make me laugh. No one can do that. But back to the point. I see you because of a camera above this screen. But I doubt you can see it yet." I looked above the screen and could faintly make out a camera on a small, metal pedestal.

"Yeah, yes…I can see it."

"Well, doesn't matter." I looked back to him. "I want you to see a little something. I hope this hurts…"

"That's nice." The screen faded to an image of Blakbeetle. A metal hand held hers. She was…she was crying? Why?!

"Blakbeetle! Beebe! What's wrong, girl?" I called out mindlessly.

"She can't hear you. Does it hurt?" Kam spoke up. I slumped to the ground, hopefully holding a hand out to my girl. I nodded.

"Yes…it does… Who made her cry?!" I demanded, clenching my hands into fists.

"My plant. KiloRoks-Two. He's playing you."

"How does that make her cry? Does she know he's not me?"

"No. She thinks he is you." The screen flipped back to Kam, with that haunting smile of his. "He's having her run a few errands I've been meaning to get done for me. They've gotten a lot done in the last four days you've been gone."

"In other words, you're forcing her to do your bidding without much force? Wait a minute, f-f-four days?!"

"Yes, and yes, I guess you could say that."

"Why?!"

"If Blakbeetle loses her trust in you, she'll have no choice but to come back to me."

"No. I won't let her come back to you, for her sake."

"Her sake? Is it bad to come back to me?"

"You're gonna' kill her for all it's worth!"

"My!" He…he actually seemed hurt. Genuinely hurt. He couldn't act that… "I'd never kill her! I--" He realized what was coming out of his mouth, and quickly regained his composure. "I--just wouldn't kill her, ok?"

I nodded. After that little show, even I could believe him. "Ok. I believe you." He seemed surprised now.

"Really?"

"Yes! Really!" He relaxed with a sigh and a real, non-haunting smile.

"Well, I'll leave the rest for you to figure out." With that, he clicked off. Still a little shaken by the 'four days' thing, I stared as my optics adjusted to the sudden darkness, and then looked up at the camera. As my eyes further adjusted, I looked up at the ceiling. Guess what? I saw that this dungeon is shaped like a loaf of bread! A kind of dome shaped ceiling and roof! Seeing a small, tightly shut slit in the ceiling, I looked a little harder.

"A storage unit…they use that to put stuff in here that can't fit through the door…" With that, a plan began to form in my mind.

I soon found myself standing in front of the screen, my eyes illuminating the immediate vicinity, one hand over my stomach, and staring up at the camera. I had to work up the courage to do this, or else I'd never get out. Something in me wanted to chat with Kam again, but I decided to ignore that and…GET OUT!

"This better work…" I uttered, before lifting my Cutlass in the air and firing it at the camera. Direct hit! My Cutlass tore right through the camera, and the shattered, sparking pieces fell to the ground around my feet. I rewound my knife-like weapon, aimed, and fired again, this time firing it at an angle to make it wrap around the metal pedestal tightly. I pulled on it to make sure it was strong, and rewound my Cutlass again, but this time using it to pull myself up to the pedestal. I carefully balanced myself on one blocky foot on the pedestal, which is smaller than my foot by about a half-inch, before manually unwrapping my cord connected to my Cutlass and rewinding it. Stupidly holding on to the flat wall as if that would help to stay on the small, too small, pedestal, I aimed my Cutlass carefully at the slice down the middle of the ceiling…and fired. The point hit at the wrong angle and bounced off, falling back down to the floor. I quickly started rewinding it before it yanked me down, or at least off balance, and my sudden turn to pull it in correctly in surprise caused the wall around the pedestal the chip, allowing the pedestal to lean. I leaned back to get my weight off the end of the pedestal as my Cutlass clicked back in place in the end of my right forearm. I re-aimed. I fired again. Time seemed to slow. The cord was in freefall…until my Cutlass's point slipped into the crack and I pulled the cord taut. I tugged it lightly like I did when I wrapped it around the pedestal, and for the same reasons, but then I froze. This was the deciding moment. If I pull myself up there, and my Cutlass comes loose, I'll hurt myself upon landing all the way back down on the floor. Injured on so many levels, I won't be able to escape. I'd be afraid of it happening again and not do the same thing. I might break something and be physically incapable of doing it. But most of all, my pride would be damaged. Getting so close, yet loosing in the end due to my own faults…? But what other chance of getting out of here do I have? I don't do this now, I know I never will.

I took a deep breath…and held it. That was dumb, but I was too nervous to breathe. Slowly, with a faint click I usually don't notice, I rewound my cord and Cutlass, pulling myself up. My feet slowly rose off the pedestal as it further chipped, and finally…broke off the wall and fell to the ground with a metallic clank. I breathed out and in again; relieved I wasn't on that when it happened. With a click to tell me it was locked, I stopped about five inches from the base of my Cutlass and spread my legs so my feet touched the sides of the curving ceiling to my left and right. I stretched, pressing my feet harder against the sides too hold myself up. Once I felt as secure as I could get, I gripped the base of my Cutlass and pulled it diagonally to my right, so the point on the other side of the ceiling/roof would point up and to my left, slowly spreading the crack apart. I felt the ceiling moving centimeter by centimeter under my feet and almost had to walk up the sides, though I felt myself slipping. I picked up the pace as much as I could, and finally released my Cutlass, rewinding it quickly as I gripped the edges of the crack and pushed it open. Slipping…I pushed my hands further up to get a better grip and continued pushing. Almost there…my palms and fingers started hurting from the continuous pressure, but I wouldn't give in now.

"Yes!" I hissed through my teeth once I got the crack wide enough to fit my horns and head through. I started pulling myself up and noticed the cool night breeze cooling me off. I was nearly overheating from that strain. "AH!" I suddenly exclaimed when my feet slipped, and I dropped back down in the unit a little, but thankfully I caught myself, my horns halfway through the crack and my legs dangling down. I panted in my sudden surprise, but continued pulling myself up. I didn't know I had such upper body strength…

Not too much longer later, my waist was through the crack. Too much further, and I'd loose my grip on the edges of the crack and it would close on me—squishing me! I focused, and, in one swift movement, pushed myself through the crack and landed, legs spread in a half-standing split and bracing myself up with my hands, wrists together, on top of the now suddenly closed roof. I stayed like that for a moment, breathing the cool night air in and out heavily, before forcing my weak-from-strain, still-mostly-ill body up. I stood, gaining what little balance I had. I took one hesitant step towards the edge, but slowly started walking faster; almost in a jog by the time I stopped at the edge and looked down. A long way down…it almost made me sick again. I pulled back, gasping. I closed my eyes and calmed myself before taking a look around.

I was definitely outside. In front of me, I saw a slanted roof of a five story mansion, a nice one at that. To my left and right, more roofing, flat farther back but slanting up to the next floor as it neared the front of the mansion. Behind me, trees, like a forest. By the slant of the land I could tell we were on the side of a mountain, the land dug out into flat land for the mansion to rest. This place seemed familiar, but I wasn't interested in identifying it just yet. I had one objective in my mind.

Save Blakbeetle.

I jumped from the roof of the storage unit/dungeon to the roof of the mansion and explored for a moment until I found the roof stairs leading down into the first floor of the mansion. I opened the tin door quietly and stepped down in, closing the door behind me just as quietly. Blackness. The stairway was dark, and my red eyes shined like two red candles in the void of the cloudy night. I felt alone. Like I was the only being in this world. So dark…I took this time to make a vow to myself aloud—a vow to my girl.

"I'm coming for you, Beebe."

Ooohh...mah hero! Can he do it? What's Blakbeetle doing? How will they ever be together again?

Next chap from Blakbeetle's POV, and I think its name will be: Attack at the Tenryou's, or Inner Strength. I'm not done with it yet, so...it's ok if I don't know for sure.

My offer still stands for Review Replies and Couple Requests!

Phantom Kensai: Domo arigatou! I am working on #1, but #2...no. Sorry, but I have a fic on that one later in my series, numero...ten! I'm taking Japanese, not spanish...soo...juu! I hope to have that one up soon, though.

R&R PLZ!!!!


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